MAC Hey Sailor!

Wow!

If you know me, you know I am obsessed with pin ups, sailors and all thing nautical! I have a little anchor tattoo and anything anchor related I have to own.

Imagine my excitement when I see the new Hey Sailor! Mac collection!

The colours don't blow me away, and an anchor or two is missing, but the packaging is lovely!!! A must have for me!

What do you think to it all?

YSL and Boots Haul

Hello everyone,

Hope you had a lovely weekend.
It was chucking it down here in Leeds so I sensibly went in to town with the boyfriend and spent my hard earned dosh in my beloved Boots lol

So here's a couple of things I bought there:

Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation in 54. Only bought because it was £6.99 and I've wanted to try it for a while!

I've wanted Notting Hill Gate for so long! It is the perfect Barbie bubblegum pink.  It looks great and is beautiful! I bought it with some of my Boots points too, which made it extra great!!!

I love the whole dip dyed tips and being a dyed red head I thought I'd try a couple of other colours at the tips. It works really well, but the blue rubbed off all over my neck. I looked like something from Avatar! Apart from that, it looks really good! It washed in and out too which is handy. but I might just ask my hairdresser to do it permanently. I love it. These are £2.99 each and come in loads of colours. They are easy to apply and look really good.

This stuff is beyond genius!!! If you paint your nails everyday, like I do, then this is a life saver. When it says 1 second removal it means it! Amazing! Smells nice, feels moisturising and is only £4.99!


I then went to House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols to pick up a couple of things - and to shelter from the rain!

I almost escaped House of Fraser without buying anything; however my eye was drawn to this really cute YSL Iphone case, and the woman at the counter said it was mine for free if I bought a nail varnish and one of the new Stain Glosses. I've wanted to try the lip stain for ages, so I just went for it. A little expensive, and I wouldn't normally dish out so much, but I loved the case!

Sorry about the fingerprint. I love YSL packaging, I think it's my favourite.
The nail varnish is no. 18 Bleu Majorelle and it a true navy blue. So unusual.
The gloss is no.11 Rouge Gouache, and is lovely.

Finally from Harvey Nics I bought the John Paul Gaultier Diet Coke bottles. I always buy the designer bottles, and this year they are just as fabulous as always. 

So that was my weekend. I went to IKEA too but I won't bore you with the rubbish I bought or the pencils I stole :-)

Hope you are all well. Talk soon

Ali xxx

Elf Haul and free gift bag!

Hello xxx

Just a quick post!
Was sent a code via email from elf Cosmetics which gave you the opportunity to receive a free goody bag worth £10 if you ordered ten pounds worth of cosmetics.

I jumped at this, because I like elf products; especially the studio line. I bought five brushes at £1.50 each (total bargain!), an eye brightening pencil and nail block.

In my goody bag I received a massive pot of the Studio Cream Blusher in a gorgeous bright pink, a powder blusher in a salmon pink colour, a duo cream eyeshadow palette in black and grey and a nail polish in a beautiful peppermint green!

Goody Bag - £10 freebies!

I will review as many of the products as I can - especially the brushes! They must be too good to be true for £1.50!!!

xxxx

Sephora, Boots haul

Hello xxx

My lovely boyfriends mum just came back from one of her regular trips to the US, and she picked me up a couple of things from my beloved Sephora.

Firstly a pot of Bella Bamba by Benefit, basically just because it's cheaper over there. It was $28 about £15, instead of £23.

Then I finally got my hands on the must sort after, Fairydrops mascara. :-) So, so happy...can't wait to review it for you...it's AMAZING!!!

At Boots I picked up two of the Maybelline 24hr tattoo eye shadows in On and on bronze, and eternal gold. Will review these once I've tried them.

Grabbed some new dry shampoo by Lee Stafford-I'm trying mid brown, because, even though my hair is bright red, the white Batiste is a nightmare!!! Make one for red hair!!!

I grabbed a couple of other essential things such as powder etc, because it's 3 for 2 on hair and beauty. I saved about £20, which is great, so I was happy!

Finally I went to HMV and fell in love with the Monster Harajuku Lovers headphones. I love Beats by Dre, so knowing they were Monster, I know they'd be fab! Plus they are beyond cute!!!!! I couldn't resist!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend cxxx

Mac Pigment samples The Body Needs

Hello xxxx

I love MAC pigments but they are so expensive, and often there is just too much product, especially if you aren't keen on the colour you've bought.

I decided to buy some MAC pigment samples but found that the websites selling them either didn't seem legit, or were majorly overpriced.

I decided, after a bit of digging around, that I would buy some GENUINE MAC pigment samples from an American site, www.thebodyneeds2.com.

The site has a fantastic selection of pigments and MAC lipstick samples, and it took me ages to choose!
I ordered the following five pigment samples: Teal, Old Gold, Blue Brown, Magenta madness, Jewelmarine.

The pigments I purchased were between $1.99 and $2.79, which is only about £1.20-£1.90. So, as you can see, really good value. You get about 1/4 of a teaspoon, which doesn't sound a lot, but believe me, a little goes a long way!

The postage was about £6.00 which was a bit steep, but it was been shipped from America, and I had the comfort of knowing the product was genuine MAC.

I won't do a review now, however, I'll try and do some looks in the next few weeks xxx

Harrods Glossybox

Humph...well, where to start.

I was soooo excited about receiving the Harrods Glossybox. I loved the clever marketing surrounding it, and Glossybox were really selling this as an amazing month.

When I opened the box I was pleasantly surprised by the actual Glossybox itself, nice colour, very chic.
When I opened it though I was majorly disappointed.

Nothing jumped out at me as exciting, and to be honest I just read the card we were sent straight away, rather than having a look through. Everything looked tiny, not particularly exciting and on the whole a massive let down.

I received:

A tiny (I mean tiny) sample of Versace - Vanitas Versace Eau De Parfum.

Cute bottle, but to be honest, you could get this free at perfume counters. Disappointment number one.

A half size of the Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter.

This is ok, I mean, this is reasonably inexpensive anyway in my opinion, and Bliss aren't a high end brand I would associate with Harrods, but it wasn't the worst product in there.

A teeny pot of Revive Intensite Creme Lustre
This would be great if I was older and actually had sagging skin around my eyes. Even as a preventative, it seems a little premature. Do you not read the profiles we filled in Glossybox? I do not need firming cream!

A small sample of Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation

This is a nice shade, and I like Lancome as a brand, so, although it is a minuscule sample, it will be good to try out.

Finally I received, the Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream. I like Clarins, don't get me wrong, but I do not need firming cream!!! Read our profiles Glossybox!

So, yep, you got it. No full size product. Rubbish.

I'm not posting any pictures because I didn't think they were even worth photographing.
This is easily the most disappointing box I have received, and it feels like such a waste of money.
How many more chances do Glossybox want?
 I was desperate for them to redeem themselves with this one.
Sadly they went down even further in my estimations.
So disappointing.
What makes me even angrier is reading all the other blogs and watching the reviews on you tube. So many people are disappointed. So many of these people are telling prospective subscribers how disappointed they are.

 Don't you care Glossybox?
Sort it out.

Just didn't live up to the hype.

Ali xxx

Mini Boots haul and Mac Viva Glam Nicki

Hello x

Just been to Boots after work. Popped in for some Bongela (Booo Wisdom teeth) and ended up with a bag of goodies.

I needed some new skin care items, so managed to buy some of those, plus the make up section was calling me, and I couldn't resist!

Make up and skin care

I borrowed this image from google because my camera is being ridiculous and just won't behave! I'm looking forward to trying this. It was a completely spare of the moment grab, but when I sampled a bit on my hand it just seemed to glide on and disappear. Really lovely. Will review in a week or so, once it's had a good innings. Boots, £6.99.

Broadway Nails are great. They look really natural and last for ages. I won't be using these for a while as I'm trying to grown my own with a little help from OPI . However these are a massive recommendation, they are the best false nail I've tried.

http://ramblingsofabeautyjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/02/opi-avoplex-oil-and-opi-nail-envy.html

Boots, £4.40

Boots, £2.99! Bargain.

 I saw this on a video on youtube and was eager to try it, as the beauty-guru who recommended it described her skin type, and it completely matched mine; I get dry skin on the face arms and legs mostly. It has a gorgeous scent, but isn't over powering. Apparently after a few weeks of use it will leave your skin amazingly moisturised for the following 7 days. Suits me if it works,! I'll give it a try and let you know.

http://www.youtube.com/user/isobelrose27?ob=0&feature=results_video#p/u/0/2TCB7DRAaF4

This is Isobelrose27's channel, where I first heard of this moisturiser. She's fantastic and has a great blog.

Finally I picked up some Nivea skincare. In my opinion, you can't really go wrong with Nivea. At the moment I have visible pours, dry skin...all the horrible stuff that comes with being run down and weather beaten. I'm hoping these have some effect. I just bought some Stream Cream too, but I might save that until my skin as improved. Also all of the above products were on 3 for 2 skincare, so I got the Nivea Night cream and the Garnier Body for free! Happy purse, Happy me!

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj

I was super excited, as you all know, about the new Viva Glam lipstick from Mac. My advanced purchase arrived the day before yesterday and it is BEAUTIFUL! Such a pretty pink, and so different to the gorgeous pale Gaga shade.

My camera is being naughty so sadly I couldn't manage a picture that really got the yellowy, pink tone of the lipstick.

Nicki (t) Gaga (b)

I seriously loved the Gaga pale pink lipstick and have boxes of it stockpiled, however I think I love the Nicki Minaj one even more! It is a bright, in your face pink and it is stunning.

This picture looks awful, so I apologise. I'll do a look with it soon so that you can see how great it looks on a pale skin tone. It's really lovely. I struggle to wear some pinks because I have dyed red hair. To be honest whether this suited me or not I'd be wearing it. It's too pretty!

So, the money I saved at Boots has helped me justify buying another 2 tubes from MAC tonight lol. 

Get ordering now it has been released, if you haven't already, it supports a great cause!

See you soon 

Ali xxx

The Harrods GLOSSYBOX

Well, well, well Glossybox. Hope this makes up for the not so hot, last box!

I'm actually pretty excited about this! I love Harrods. I'm a total sucker for high end products, and I always get sucked in to the hype.

I think the whole mystery box thing and the daily letter was really cool. I loved the little business card we all received and think it's been a pretty exciting build up.

To be honest, even though I was clicking the box everyday and receiving my letters, I had no idea it was spelling Knightsbridge lol bit slow on the uptake I think! From checking on the GLOSSYBOX Facebook page though, I don't think I was the only one.

I hope and pray that GLOSSYBOX do this box justice. The build up has been so extensive, that if it isn't amazing, then a lot of people will feel really let down. Also, the feeling I get from other blogs and from some Youtube videos, this is the last chance for GLOSSYBOX, for a lot of people. This box will either persuade people to stay subscribing, or it will completely put them off and they will cancel.

I don't think I'm feeling like this. Of course I wass mildy disappointed with the last months box, but I really have faith that GLOSSYBOX can bring it back. 

So, lets see what March brings. I know some people love spoiling the GLOSSYBOX for everyone, by blurting what's in it before release date. I hope I don't hear any rumours of the contents, because I'll be so disappointed :-( I love, love, love the surprise each month!

So, exciting times ahead people, lets see what we get!

Ali xxx

First Post! February GLOSSYBOX!

Hi everyone x

So, here is the first post of my new blog. 

I deleted the old one and decided to have a fresh start.

I've got a mass of new products to review, because, as you will soon find out, I'm utterly addicted to buying new beauty products. 

However, I thought I'd begin with the newest offer from Glossybox.

I was really excited when the package arrived this morning; I've not been at work for the last 3 weeks because I'm recovering from an operation, so it was a nice treat.

This months Glossybox is another limited edition, entitled "The Fashion Week Edition", to celebrate the fantastic London Fashion Week.

Apparently the box contains "5 fabulous essentials to keep you looking your fashionable best"

When I first opened the packaging I was greeted by a lovely pale pink box, which will look beautiful next to my other empty Glossyboxes which I fill will all my various make up brushes. 

As you will know, if you subscribe to any of the monthly beauty boxes, that the anticipation and excitement when opening it is fantastic! I never cheat by looking on line to see if anyone has received theirs first. It's great to get a totally unexpected surprise every month!

So, back to the box. I opened the box, put all the paperwork to one side and then peeled back the tissue...and...well, to be honest, I wasn't instantly blown away.

Don't get me wrong, the boxes are always presented beautifully, just this time the contents didn't give me that kind of 'I need to dive in' feeling.

The first item that really caught my eye was the Impress Press on Manicure by Broadway Nails.

I like Broadway nails. I love their short everyday press on nails, and they are a staple in my beauty bag. They are great for a quick fix, they look great, and they last for ages. Anyway, back to the product. The packaging was pretty interesting and I had to resist opening it, so that I could investigate the rest of my box. 

The next item was a sweet, little lip gloss, and I instantly recognised the name on the packaging-Duwop.

The tube (according to the contents card in the box) is half the size of a full tube, which is worth £16, so in my opinion, that's pretty good going. This gloss has a slightly peach tint to it, and it smells gorgeous. It should be a winner, and is a great size for slipping in to your clutch bag on a night out, or into your hand luggage on the plane.

Next up, I spied a tiny little powder pot. This is a 1g pot of BM beauty mineral eye-shadow in Dusty Road. 

I tried to swatch it for a photograph, but my camera just couldn't pick up the intense but sheer shimmer to the rusty, gold colour. I love mineral products but I've never tried BM, so hopefully this will be the start of something good, and, even though the pot is tiny, it should last for quite a while, because a little goes a long way with powders like this.

The final two products weren't really up my street, but still were very generous sizes. I'm not big in to trying new hair care products, I'm a make up girl at heart, but the Paul Mitchell Quick Slip styling product smells lovely, and I'm sure it will cheer up my hair when I'm eventually up and about again (next week hopefully!)

The final product was a shower gel by Coco Shambhala. I'm not a massive shower gel person as I have quite sensitive skin, however the product contains essential oils, smells glorious and might be nice as an extra treat for my mum, along with her Mother's Day gifts. 

So that was the February Glossybox, initially not that exciting, but once I looked everything over, I was pretty happy with the selection...however, one more thing caught my eye as I popped everything back in the box!

A little black business card was slotted under a flyer for London Fashion Week, and as you can see from the picture, it looks really, really exciting!

So on the 24th of February I will have a look and see what all the mystery is about, and then I'll let you all know!

Hope you have a lovely week,

A x