Big Hair by Babyliss

I am obsessed with big hair but unless I spend ages painstakingly backcombing the roots (not something you want to be doing everyday kids) I can't seem to get it to look volumised. The problem is that my hair is very fine so it can get limp very quickly, and that's where the Babyliss Big Hair comes in....

It's basically a hot air brush that rotates to mimic the results of a blow dry. Personally I've never been able to blow dry my hair but I've always admired the way stylists do it. The brush it self is huuuuge (see below how it sizes up to my BlackBerry!) and it has three heat settings including a 'cool shot'. 

I was a little scared to use it at first because it's so big and noisy but after playing around with it for a while I got used to it. 

How to use it:

To begin you should either rough dry your hair or let it dry naturally until it is about 70-80% there. I'm very impatient so I wait 'til it's about 60% dry :)

Then, apply a blow dry serum/spray/mousse or whatever you prefer. I stick to a spray because my roots can get greasy if I weigh it down with too many heavy products.

Split hair into sections and position the brush at the roots. Turn it on and let the hot air blow out for about 30 seconds (it's important to concentrate on the roots first as this is where you want the most volume.) 

Press down on the rotation button as you move it down towards the ends. For added texture and volume 

flick some of the ends out.

Step back and admire your beautifully blow dried 

Verdict: LOVE IT - drying my hair has never been so fun and easy! And maybe one day, with some more practice, I'll be able to perfect the Cheryl Cole blow dry... Sigh. I'm urging you all to get this because it's so so easy to use and it's cut my styling time by half...!!! Move over GHDs, there's a new hair tool in town....

Sami xx

FYI - I bought mine from Argos for £44.99

Nail du Jour: OPI Purple with a Purpose

If you've seen my previous NOTDs you'll realise that I tend to stick to neutral colours, pinks and reds. You'll rarely see me in black/blue/green nails! But seeing as it's Halloween I thought I'd try something different. This colour can look a bit murky at night, but in day light the colour is very bright and shimmery. It's a lovely ultra-violet (think Paco Rabanne). I wouldn't usually pick this colour up... but it's nice to be different sometimes :)

Sami xx

PS - who else is horrified by Barry M's new Nail Effects colour?! 

MAC A Tartan Tale

I wouldn't really call this a 'haul' but I did pick up something from the new MAC collection... I couldn't resist!

MAC A Lady and Her Tricks, Buff and Line Brush collection, £39.50

I've been umming and ahhing over MAC brushes for quite some time, but I couldn't quite bring myself to pay £27 for one so someone suggested I wait for the holiday collection and buy a mini set, which works out well in terms of price. The set comes with the following: 187SE, 168SE, 252SE, 219SE, 209SE, a cute tartan patterned bag and a detachable strap!

 I love the black and gold detailing

One thing I'd have to warn people about is that the brushes are tiiiiiiiny, which makes it great for everyday use or carrying around in your bag. My face is also quite small so it's actually ideal :- )

In terms of quality... I only got it this morning so I'll update you once I've used it a bit more, but from first impressions I'm happy with it.

The Tartan collection also has some gorgeous lip and eye sets, which come in their own little bags and they have tins of lip glosses and pigments, which would make amazing gifts for beauty junkies... hint hint :- p

Anyone else get anything from the Tartan collection? What did you think?

Sami xx

Weekend of Weddings

Last weekend was packed with bridal parties and weddings so I thought I'd share my hair, makeup and outfits. To those of you who aren't familiar with Asian weddings, they're usually very bright and flamboyant! 

Mehndi Night

The bride hosts a Mehndi party (where her hand is decorated with henna patterns) a few nights before the wedding. 

The Wedding

Wearing: A white sari with antique gold detailing

Hair & Makeup: I used MAC's Tan Pigment on the eyes and MAC By Candlelight MSF as an iridescent highlight. for the hair I tonged it all over and then backcombed the crown.

Loving: Sarah false lashes from the Eylure Girls Aloud collection :)

The bride in a bright red embellished sari... Her makeup looked amazing but I couldn't get a close up... sorry!

So as you can see I've had a very busy weekend, but it was loads of fun! I love Asian weddings because I can go a little crazy with my hair and makeup lol

Anyone else love weddings as much as me?!!

Sami xx

PS Outfit fail of the night: Not only was it impossible to walk in my sari, the Bride's sisters all wore the EXACT same colour as me... so much for standing out eh?! 

MAC Venomous Villians haul.... finally!

I know I am hideously late on the MAC Venomous Villains collection but I did pick up some things a few weeks ago... Instead of going for the lipsticks I thought I'd try something different and ended up with some lip glosses instead!

I still haven't thrown out the lovely packaging!

Briar Rose Beauty Powder

A cool pink powder blush thing (what exactly IS a beauty powder?!) that you can swirl over the face with a large brush. The colour is subtle, yet very pretty, and it gave me a nice glow - I think this works great in the morning when you need your skin to perk up.

Hot House & Revenge is Sweet Lip Glass

Revenge is Sweet - this has a lovely subtle pink sheen to it, which you can layer over lipsticks or wear on its own. I've worn this one a lot to work and it has that 'your lips but glossier AND better' effect. My lips are quite pigmented so I usually use a nude lipliner before applying it.

Hot House - I think the pic says it all! It's a juicy dark pink with a fine thread of glitter running through it to give it that extra gloss. It also made my lips look HUGE, which is weird because darker colours usually have a slimming effect. A beautifooool colour that'd work well for a glamorous/sexy look :) 

What did you guys think of the Venomous Villians collection - inspired... or tacky?! 

Sami xx

Indian Bridal Look !

This look was inspired by MAC Lipstick in Impassioned, which is such an amazingly vivid pinky/red, and I think it works well on Indian bridal looks. Asian brides usually wear very bight and bold outfits with lots of jewellery so the makeup needs to be just as bold and extravagant! 

What I Used:

FACE

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation mixed w/Strobe Cream

MAC Studio Select Concealer

MAC MSF Natural 

Ruby and Millie Matte Bronzer

MAC Blusher in Breezy

MAC MSF in Candlelight

EYES

UDPP

MAC Paintpot in Groundwork

Barry M Dazzle Dust in Yellow Gold

Gosh Pigment in Gold

Gosh Pigment in Bronze

Urban Decay Half Baked

MAC Blusher in Breezy

Shu Uemura Gel Liner

Cheryl Cole False Lashes

LIPS

YSL Lip Contour

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned

Hope you guys liked :- )

Sami x

Lush Xmas Treats

Can I just say that this Lush Christmas Candy Box would make an amazing gift! Yes I know there are still another three months 'til Xmas but better to be prepared right? This cost £19.95 and came with six candy-themed products, which I think is really good value, considering that Lush can be overprice

A peek inside:

The box includes the following:

Snow Fairy Shower Gel This cult product that was very popular last year and now it's back.. yay! Smells like sweets and has a slight hint of glitter and sparkle.

Bubblegum Lip Scrub A yummy, pink, lick-your-lips scrub that gets rid of all the dead skin on your lips.

Candy Cane Bubble Bar Creates a creamy lather and turns your bath pink! The smell was not as strong as I'd hoped though.

Honey I Washed the Kids & Rock Star Soap - They both smell delish but aren't as moisturising as the shower gels and creams.

Snow Fairy Lip Tint - Haven't tried this yet but will update you once I do!

I'd recommend this gift box to Lush fans and Lush virgins alike because it's good value for money and has some lovely, girly products, it also includes a 10% off voucher for your next purchase. I love the candy scent... it's so sweet that I was tempted to eat it (that would kinda ruin the illusion though, as I'm guessing soap doesn't taste that nice...?) You can check out Lush's Christmas range out here. 

Another Lush Love...

Ultra Bland £5.75, described as 'the most thorough of all cleansers' caught my eye because I've been looking for a makeup remover that didn't: a) dry my skin out, and b) didn't irritate my sensitive eyes, but hadn't had any luck. This is like a creamy butter that you slather all over your eyes and then clean off with a damp ball of cotton wool. 

Did it work? 

Yes! It cleaned my skin thoroughly and my mascara practically slid off! The only down side is that it's sooo creamy that it can leave you with a greasy layer of skin (due to the Almond Oil in it). If you're prone to shine or have very oily skin I'd use this with a toner.

Is anyone planning on getting some Lush goodies from their Xmas range??

Sami x

Nail du Jour: OPI Cozu-melted in the Sun

My local department store had a mahooosive 20% sale on all OPI products a few weeks ago so I just couldn't resist ANOTHER nail varnish... Eeek! This one is called Cozu-melted in the Sun and it's a glossy, shimmery beige-pink. It's not too in 'yer face so would be great to wear for work. 

I think this may be my new favourite (although I say that about all my new nail varnishes - fickle eh?!). And it kind of reminds of a silk nightie - sexy, glamorous and understated. Definitely a must-have : - )

What do you guys think? Is it worth it even with a 20% discount?!

Sami xx

MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lip Glass

After the amazing success of the Viva Glam Lipsticks, MAC have come out with a lip glass version! I never brought the lipsticks because I didn't feel the colour would suit me, however, the Viva Glam Gaga Lip Glass* is (in my opinion) a lot more wearable.

Let me just state that I NEVER wear lip gloss... like EVER! I don't even own any! Reason being that they usually taste like crap, can be very sticky/gooey and I don't see them as very long lasting compared to a lipstick. So you can imagine how I felt being faced with this little beauty....

My Verdict: Amazing! The lip gloss was not sticky, tasted okay and lasted for a a good couple of hours (I'm not sure if all MAC Lip Glasses are like this though... am I telling you guys something you already know?!). The colour was also, surprisingly wearable. It's a milky, opaque pink but the glossiness of it meant that it didn't look too light and it didn't wash me out. I also tried the Cyndi Lauper one but I wasn't crazy about the colour... if you want to see how it looks let me know and I'll do a separate post :- )

FYI: Viva Glam Lip Glasses £12, available from October for 6 months ONLY!

Are there any other MAC Lip Glasses that are really good? I've discovered a love for them so any recommendations would be great! 

In other news....

Bring on the Bling

I've been feeling a bit flash lately (it's a shame my bank account hasn't...) so decided to finally buy into the hype and get Paco Robanne Lady Million. I have been lusting over One Million forever so I was really excited about this fragrance. I'd describe the scent as a fresh and fruity (helpful eh?!) and on first spray it is quite delicious... but after it settles the smell becomes quite musty and I can smell the alcohol...Eeek! I'm really disappointed because the men's version is sooo sooo much better! 

Paco Robanne Lady Million 30ml, £45

I also got these beautiful earrings from River Island... They're much sparklier in real life and I love the little diamantés! I think they were about £9.99

Has anyone else tried the Lady Million perfume and what were your thoughts??

Sami x

Easy Peasy Smoky Eyes

If I'm being honest I'm a bit scared of smoky eyes... When applied wrong it can look a bit Taylor Momsen (Eeeek!) but if done right, it can look really glamorous and sultry. Well, I've managed to find a way to achieve it with minimal effort and maximum impact! 

This was my first proper go at it so it's by no means perfect... and I still haven't plucked up the courage to leave the house with it on... Maybe one day!

I used: Urban Decay Primer Potion, Urban Decay Naked Palette, L'Oreal Millionize Mascara, Gosh Liquid Eyeliner, Black Khol

HOW I DID IT

After applying a primer on the eyelids, dab a black shadow, like Gunmetal with a flat brush up to the crease (DON'T GO ABOVE THE CREASE - we're not going for a Panda look here). Extend the eyeshadow out with a pointed brush so it creates a winged out effect.

With a small fluffy brush apply a neutral colour, like Naked to blend out any harsh edges.Apply liquid liner on the top eyelid for extra definition and wing it out.

Apply a black khol or eyeliner to the bottom eyelids and smudge with a pointy brush or your fingers. Add a highlight, like Sin, to the tearduct. Or for more of a cat eye join the eyeliner. 

Apply a generous amount of volumising mascara then finish the look off with a matt bronzer to contour and a highlight on the top of the cheekbones. 

I also applied MAC Lipstick in Blankety to help offset the intensity of the smoky eyes. 

This look is quite strong because it's ultimately a solid black on your eyes, but it can be softened with a highlight. Once I master a 'proper' smoky eye I will definitely post it (but don't hold your breath!)

What do you guys think? How do you do your smoky eye?

Sami x

Nail du Jour: The perfect purple?

I am totes in LOVE with this Barry M Nail Paint that I borrowed off a friend (hence the absence of the bottle). However, I have no idea the name/number of it and I haven't seen it anywhere in the shops! Does anyone know if it's still available? 

The colour, as you can see, is a vivid pinky purple, although it looks a bit lilac in this picture

Could this be the end of my search for the perfect purple?

Sami xx

Golden Makeup Look

Here's a look I did recently for The Asian Beautifier's blog competition where I had to create either a Golden Goddess or Sparkle Diva makeup look. Of course I love gold so I went for that option! 

I wanted to go for a dramatic, yet glamorous, look so I took inspiration from Cleopatra and went for heavy black eyeliner, lots of gold and statement brows (I used a black eyeshadow to make them really stand out but it came out a little messy :S )

Close up...

What I Used...

FACE

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC42

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC42

MAC MSF Natural

Chanel Bronze Universal

Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Brick

EYES

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay Half Baked Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Urban Decay Virgin Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

GOSH Gold Pigment

Shu Uemura Gel Liner

L'Oreal Volumize Mascara

Eyelure False Lashes in Glamour 120

LIPS

YSL Lip Contour

MAC Lipstick in Faux

THE REST...

I straightened my hair and put it in a middle parting. Then I clipped a earring in the middle (like a tika) togive it more of a glam/eastern vibe.

Hope you likey :- )

Sami xx

Lush Goodies: Honey Farm & a new Hero product?

I'm not a Lush expert and there are sooo many products to choose from so I thought I'd go for the Honey Farm Gift Set, £14.95, to sample some of their products. Dipping my toes into the water, so to speak. 

The gift set comes cutely wrapped in yellow (recyclable) paper and a black silk bow. I love buying presents, especially when they're for me, so this made me feel very special indeed :)

You open the box to find it covered in popcorn!

Note: Do NOT eat the popcorn - they are purely for packaging... as I learnt the hard way...

What you get inside

Top Left Clockwise: Honey I Washed the Kids Soap, Flying Fox Shower Gel, Honey Bee Bath Fizz, Ma Bar Bubble Bar

My Thoughts

Honey I Washed the Kids Soap: I don't usually use soap because I have VERY DRY skin but this one had no nasty chemicals, lathered up nicely and smelt delish! The scent lingers for a while after you use it too.

Flying Fox Shower Gel: Hands down BEST shower gel ever! The smell is very strong but it left my skin feeling soft and you only need a tiny bit to get a thick, creamy lather.

Honey Bee Bath Fizz: I'm not a 'bath kinda gal' but I chucked it into a running bath last week and it started fizzing up and coloured the bathwater a bright yellow! My skin feeling really silky and soft, which no other bath bomb/oil has ever done.

Ma Bar Bubble Bar: I got two baths out of this and it smelt like a yummy fudge... Mmmm! What else can I say about a Bubble Bar... Er... it created nice bubbles for my bath?

Overall

This is a great product for those that don't know much about Lush as it gives you an introduction to their main ranges: Soap, Shower Gel, Bath Fizz and Bubble Bar. The only thing missing was a massage bar, which I still want to try out. The perfect treat for a night of pampering :)

Hero Product?

Lush Dream Cream, £9.95

Does it work?

In a word: Yes. Lush Dream Cream is meant to be amazingly moisturising and soothing, especially for dry/sensitive skin so I couldn't resist trying it out. I might have mentioned before that I suffer from dry skin and I've tried nearly every type of body butter and cream out there! The Body Shop range is OK and smells lovely, but doesn't absorb properly into my skin. Other cosmetic brands like L'Oreal and Vaseline are rubbish, as were medical brands like E45, Johnson's Baby Oil is too light and Palmers Cocoa Butter did nothing. Everything just left me feeling underwhelmed.

My mum suggested Olive Oil, which worked a treat and made my skin so, so soft - but it left me with a greasy layer of oil all over my body! I had low expectations about Dream Cream but can I just say that it could possibly be the BEST BODY CREAM EVER. Seriously, I applied this at night and my skin was left feeling so soft the next day. I don't know how Lush did it but there is not a single dry patch on me now - not a flake. I've been using this every night and my skin has improved tenfold... I'm so happy I discovered it! :)

Why you should go 'Au Natural'

The main reason why Lush products work so much better than other cosmetic products, I believe, is because the ingridients they use are natural and organic. Soaps and creams loaded with chemicals can seriously disturb your skin's PH balance and this is why a lot of people with sensitive/dry skin prefer to go organic. Next time you buy a cream or shower gel look at the ingredients and think about whether you want all those chemicals on you?! I'm no skin expert, this is just my personal opinion. I'd love to know what products you all use!

Sami xx

PS Sorry about the lengthy post... next one will be full of pics I promise :-)

Haul Time: MAC and other bits...

So, after a whole one month makeup ban, I decided to treat myself :) and of course what better brand to treat myself with then Mac?! There wasn't anything that caught my eye in their Feline collection so I went for some other bits that I'd been meaning to get for a while... 

Lipsticks

Left to right: MAC lipstick in Show Orchid and Impassioned

Top to bottom: Impassioned and Show Orchid

I've wanted to get Show Orchid for such a long time but it's only available in Pro stores (I don't understand why it's not available in normal stores because it's such a popular colour). As you can see it's a gourgous, bright fuschia that would look great with a LBD. The second lippy I got was Impassioned which initially scared me - but as you can see in the swatch it comes out as a creamy pink that I think would suit just about anyone (probably not my uncle though...) I am addicted to Mac lipsticks, and although I'm sure there are better brands out there I will always go back to them!

      Eye Makeup

        MAC Pigment in Tan

I was torn between the MAC Pigment in Tan and Melon, which are both very similar. In the end I went for Tan because it swatched as a shimmerey beige and Melon was a bit more on the yellow side. Nothing much to say about MAC pigments other then that they have amazing colour payoff, can be messy and come in lots of yummy colours :)

MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork

I originally wanted to get Painterly but it wasn't in store so I went for Groundwork instead. The quality of MAC Paint Pots are amazing because it goes on as a cream and dries as a powder. As you can see by the swatch it doesn't leave any creases and melts into my skin like magic. I use this as a base for eyeshadow and on it's own for a more natural look. Love, love, love it! In fact, I may go back for more :)

Presents!

Laura Mercier Pistashio Body Souffle 

              

Everytime I'd walk past the Laura Mercier counter I'd look longingly at their Pistachio Body Souffle because of thei ntoxicatingly delicious smell. I'ver never been able to justify spending £41 on it (yeah - you heard right - £41!) but then I got it as a present! Yay! This cream is seriously moisturising and the smell (think freshly baked cakes... or any other yummy dessert) stays on your skin for the entire day - I put it to the test the other days and it stayed on for hours. My 9yr old cousin also put some on her arm and reported back, saying that she could still smell it when she went to bed!

Dolce & Gabbana Rose The One

I prefer this sooo much more to the original D&G The One because the floral scent makes it alot more feminine. Two sprays of this last all day, which is another bonus!

The perfect weekend treat

My sundays usually consist of lazing around the house, in front of the TV with some chocolate and a magazine!

As you can see I've been busy spending my wages and lazing about (!) but now that Ramadan is over I have more time (and energy) to do more blog posts. I don't want to do loads of lazy, pointless posts every week just for the sake of posting something, but I will try and do 2/3 good quality, (hopefully) interesting posts from now on. I have a few exciting ones coming up this week!

Sami xx  

What's in my bag??

The LV Speedy (medium size)

I know it's rude to go through a lady's bag but I'm quite nosey... and I love 'What's in my bag' posts so I thought it'd only be fair to do my own :- )

I try to travel light because I hate carrying heavy bags - especially when I'm travelling around London, on the tube or train!

From clockwise left:

Quilted gold makeup bag - got this free with a magazine, although I usually hate magazine freebies, this one caught my eye

Makeup bag - I desperately needed a makeup bag when I was going to Paris and in a rush I grabbed this one from Superdrug... I would prefer a Gucci one though :)

Sweets - I always have sweets or chocolates in my bag... my friends go through my bag because they now I'll have something!

D&G perfume - this is probably the biggest, heaviest thing in my bag but I love it so much that I don't mind lugging it around... I wish they'd release a travel version though

Mobile phones - My Blackberry is a lifesaver - I use it to check emails, Tweet, BB Messenger... it's so addictive! The other phone is just a backup in case my BB dies, which it usually does...

Pen - what kind of journalist would I be if I didn't carry a pen with me?! (I usually have a notebook too, but on this occasion I left it at work)

Keys and Oyster card holder - I'm always losing stuff in my bag and it takes ages to find things (anyone else have that problem?!), so I got this pink, glittery cardholder from Accessorize, hich is pretty hard to miss...

Purse - I got this recently from River Island for my birthday... it's quite Mui Mui/Prada esque non?!

In my makeup bag...

From clockwise left:

Black Khol - My friend brought me this from holiday and it's what I use pretty much everyday for my lower lash line... it's sooo intense and black... maybe it deserves a post of it's own?

Pink Heart USB - I'm not sure where this is from because I got it as a gift but it's sooo cute... and soo me

Origins On the Spot Relief Breast Cancer version - this is a great stress-buster and the scent is so soothing...

Lipstick - I have quite a lot of lipsticks *guilty face* so I try and wear a different one everyday

The Body Shop bronzer - I got this ages ago and use it more for the mirror, although the powder is great to use as a subtle shimmer for the face and neck

Mini D& G The One perfume sample - I got this in Sephora when I went to Paris but I'm not too keen on it...

Bourjois Kabuki Brush - I love this! Kabukis are usually really expensive and super soft. This isn't as soft but for a fiver it really does the job

Paracetamol - I rarely take these but then there are instances when I really need one... usually during the time of month!

YSL Lip Contour - This is like a lipbalm and is great for keeping my lips soft... it's got a rich, creamy consistency so it's almost like a moisturiser

Carmex Cherry lipbalm - This doesn't really moisturise my lips as well as the YSL but it tastes and smells so nice that I just HAD to have it!

Ring - I usually have some random piece of jewellery in my bag 

Other bits and pieces...

Pink iPod - keeps me entertained when I'm commuting

Hand sanitizer - if you use the tube you'll understand why this is a MUST

Picture - this is actually a  broken keyring that I just carry around. This pic is of my cousin and I'll pull it out whenever I need to :- )

Tissues - a had a nose bleed on the train a few months ago and since then my mum's been giving me tissue packets to keep with me in case it happens again... bless her

I also keep my camera in my bag but I can't exactly take a pic of it as I'm using it now... I'm also a magazine JUNKIE and usually have something to read in my bag... And I'm going to get a diary (FiloFax!) to keep me organised too.

Anyway... I hope you enjoyed having a nose around in my bag... and I hope this doesn't turn into an open invite for muggers :-O haha!

I'd love to see what's in everyone elses handbags!

Sami xx

My Nail Varnish Collection

As you can probably tell by all my NOTDs I loooove nail varnish! And I've built up a little collection over the past few months... here's what I've got right now....

Left to right: OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy, OPI Glitzerland, OPI Pinking of You, OPI So Hot it Berns, Bourjois Rose Lounge,  Bourjois Rose Lounge, Barry M Bight Purple, Mint Green, Flamingo Pink and Matt White, Estee Lauder Wild Orchid, Nubar Creme, No7 Matt Top Coat, NARS Adelita, Rimmel Urban Princess, Sleek Nailed Polish, GOSH Golden Brown, LCN no name pink

My Top 5

OPI Pinking of You - a lovely bright candy floss pink that I have been wearing non-stop lately

OPI Glitzerland - another beautiful colour from OPI, this is from the Swiss collection and looks like melted gold on my nails... I don't think I'll ever get fed up of this colour

Barry M Mint Green - I love how obscure and bright this colour is! 

Barry M Pink Flamingo - beautiful two-toned colour that looks amazing in the sunshine

Bourjois Rose Vamp - this is, in my opinion, the perfect pink

I also LOVE Bourjois' Fuchsia Hype but I've lent it to a friend :)

Not really liking...

OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy - the colour is a little blah in my opinion... but maybe it just doesn't mesh with my skintone... Zara from MouldyFruit suggested using it as a top coat to give bright colours a pastel wash so I might try that

 Barry M Matt White - I'd been itching to try white nails for a while but found that the consistency of this was awful... imagine applying Tipex to your nails and you'll get the idea...

Bourjois Rose Lounge - another blah nude that just gave my nails a polished sheen but failed to make any impact 

Rimmel Urban Princess - gorgeous colour but chips a few hours after you apply it

NARS Adelita - again... blah, blah, blah on its on but could be used as a top coat to give a shimmery finish

In terms of brands I really like OPI but find that their nail lacquers are slightly overpriced... but for high street I really like Barry M and Bourjois for colours and quality.

As you can see I tend to avoid blues, greens and darker colours and stick to pinks and neutrals. It's mainly because I have been collecting nail varnishes throughout the summer and so my taste has geared more towards the brighter, girly colours... I'm still on the lookout for the perfect purple so any suggestions would be lovely :- ) 

Sami x