Quick update

Hi everyone, I know I haven’t posted for a whole week and I feel like it’s been ages since I blogged.  Anyway I just wanted to let you know the reason for this is that I have been working on moving my blog to WordPress.org, and have hit a small problem which I’m hoping to get fixed really soon. To make matters worse, my Internet router has died meaning that I’m posting this from my phone.  It means that I don’t want to do any real posts as I found that last time I posted the pictures didn’t sit in the same position as previous posts.  Anyway I’m hoping to get all of this sorted really soon 🙂

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette

The Comfort Zone palette has eight gorgeous neutral shades, which can be used alone or together.  The packaging is nothing amazing but what it lacks in this area it makes up for in the eyeshadows themselves and is also most likely away to keep the costs down. On the back of the packaging there is a nice little guide giving a few ideas as to where to apply the shadows.  I do quite like the fact that they have where to use each shadow stamped onto the shadow itself but this is just a guide and you can definitely experiment with them.

I find that they blend really well and that they all go perfectly with each other meaning you can create so many different looks with it.  Due to the formula being quite soft  I have found that there can sometimes be a little bit of fall out but this isn’t a huge deal for me as it can easily be cleaned away.  The colours are all highly pigmented even without primer as you can see from the swatches.

With primer the shadows tend to last about 5-6 hours before they start to fade and crease a little.  I really love this palette as its great for creating amazing shimmery day-time eyes  but also for creating more dramatic evening looks.  I don’t think the picture does justice as to how gorgeous and shimmery they are.  For some reason the second last shade doesn’t seem to be as pigmented in the picture as it is in real life.  I think this will definitely be coming on holiday with me when I go in August.

What do you think of the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette?  And what other Wet n Wild products do you recommend?

My First Shellac Experience

I decided that I would document my first experience of Shellac.  I got these done at About You in Paisley.  There was a lot of colours to chose from and I finally decided on this gorgeous pink which has a blue/purple shimmer to it.  To start with your nails are shaped and a shellac base coat applied.  This is then cured with the UV light.  This is followed by two coats of colour, each of which is cure with the UV light.  And finally a shellac top coat is applied and cured under the UV light.  The nails are then wiped to remove any residue and your good to go!  This took about 30 mins which I think is great and there is no sitting about waiting for it to dry.

I’m really interested to see how long this will last as I will be starting work in a hairdressers where I will be washing hair for two weeks.  I start work on day 5 of having had the Shellac done.  I also go to the farm everyday to feed Shug, ride him, brush him ect.  I was told by the nail technician that it usually last people around 10-15 days depending on what they’re doing.  Although she said that they might not last as long on me since I was going to be washing hair.

Day 3 – My nails are still perfect and beautifully shiny.  I haven’t been really careful with them just doing everything that I normally do.  I even managed to fall off Shug for the first time and not a chip on them.   I have been applying Superdrug’s Vitamin E Cuticle Oil as it seems quite similar to the Solar Oil.

Day 5 – First day working and nails still look amazing!

Day 7 – Really can’t believe how well they’re lasting considering I’m washing hair constantly at work and having to rinse out hair dye and perm lotion.

Day 9 – My first chip!  I have to admit though I’m surprised that they have lasted so well, the nail technician said that they might not last as well due to the chemicals.  I decided to file my nail down so that there was no more chip and put a little spot of clear nail varnish along the top.

Day 10 – Not at work today but some how managed to get a chip one one of my thumb nails.

Day 13 – Nails still looking fine!

Day 14 – Got a chip on the other thumb nail today and my right index finger.  I feel they have lasted so well!

Day 15 – I decided to take them off today.  Over the course of the 15 days I have had a total of three chips!  I could probably leave them on longer if I wanter but you can start to see how much my nails have grown and I find that quite annoying to look at…so it was time to remove 😦

Removal – The nail technician said that I could go back in to get them taken off or she said I could take them off myself.  I decided to take them off myself.  To remove them she said that I should soak some cotton wool in acetone, place this on the nail and then wrap in tin foil and leave on for 10 minutes, after which the shellac should just flake off.  I did this but I found that I had to leave the acetone on for 15-20 minute.  There were a few bits that were a little stubborn and didn’t want to come off but I just used an orange stick to gently remove them and they came off fine.  I felt like by nails are in the same condition as they were when I first had the Shellac put on so I really don’t think they they will damage your nails.  I have found however that regular nail polish just doesn’t seem as nice and shiny as the Shellac does.  But I am definitely getting it done again before I go on holiday 🙂

 

Have you tried Shellac before?  What did you think of it, I’d love to know!

Fashion and Fakes

This is probably quite a controversial topic especially for a blogger to write and I think that it is probably an area in which everyone has an opinion.  Before I start I just want to say that this post is only my thoughts/opinions/experience and that everyone is entitled to theirs and I’d love to know what you think so make sure to comment.

I’m going on holiday to Spain during the summer and for some reason I thought of the markets and the fake/replica bags that I’d seen there and I thought that it might make an interesting post.  There are so many opinions in this area and with a quick search of the internet you can find hundreds of sites that sell fake/replica bags and even sites which recommend which ones are best to shop at.

I found out that there was a study conducted by Professor David Walls entitiled ‘Jailhouse Frocks’ suggests that  fakes were actually not affecting the fashion market as much as was claimed.  It was argued that as not everyone would be able to afford to but one, and therefore the company wasn’t really going to be losing that money.  I have also seen internet post claiming that the fashion industry should not complain as the brand was effectively getting advertising as more people would be walking about with the bag.  I’m not sure I full agree with this – I feel that I can usually always spot a fake bag and I can understand why brands wouldn’t like this ‘free advertising’ as they may not want to be associated with the people that have a replica version of there product.

There was a lot of mixed opinion about the quality with some saying that the fakes/replicas were terrible quality and others saying that there were one that were really good.  I’d never bought any fake/replica products and felt that I couldn’t really give an honest thought without seeing any first (I’d always just walked by them at the markets).  So I bought one online – I bought a replica Mulberry Double Zip Bayswater; just because  know that I will be buying at least one real Mulberry as soon as can.  You can find the real Mulberry Double Zip Bayswater here.

So here it is…

 

I bought this for about £23 and I like it.  I chose this one as I wanted it to look different from the real ones – the real ones don’t come in this colour, and the closest one to this has different hardware, the leather is also different and the one I have has no padlock.

I posted a couple of pictures with me with it on Instagram (I didn’t use #mulberry or anything as I didn’t want to mislead people) but out of the people who had seen or liked the picture no one mentioned or asked if it was fake.  I mean I wasn’t expecting to be bombarded with comments but I though maybe someone might have noticed or perhaps someone did but just didn’t want to say.  I’m not the kind of person that would try and pretend that it’s real; if some was to ask I’d tell them that it was fake.

I know that this bag is no where near the quality of Mulberry bags but I find that for a bag just to throw things in when your going somewhere it’s great; and you can fit so much in.  I have to admit when I bought it although it said it was leather I wasn’t actually expecting it to be.

If there is something that I really hate it’s when people sell fakes/replicas on places like Ebay and try to pass them off as genuine.  I think that this is really unfair on people buying the products believing that they’re real.  I can’t even imagine how I would feel if I’d spent a lot of money on a product that I believed was real only to find out if wasn’t.

There is so much more to say on this topic that I decided to try and condense it before the post got any longer than it was.  I know that there is so much that I haven’t commented on but I hope you’ve enjoyed reading the post.

TL;DR – There are so many opinions about fake goods; both for and against.  The fashion industry may not be losing as much money as they estimate.  Everyone has to make their own choices when it comes to this BUT don’t try and sell fakes pretending that they’re real!

I really want to know your thoughts on this so please leave your comments below! 🙂

Vendula London Bags

If you know me then you’ll know that I love bags and shoes; and this is a bag with shoes on it…So it’s fair to say that I love it!  I got this as a birthday present from my mum for my 21st back in March and decided that it really needed it’s own post on my blog.

Vendula London create the most wonderful, unusual bags and I really thing that everyone will find something that they’d like.  The brand was launched in 2003 and have been growing in popularity throughout the world.  All of their products are made from animal friendly faux leather too.  Other products from the brand include make-up bags, purses and ipad cases.  I love this bag so much and I always get compliments on it whenever I take I take it out and have even been told it’s like my personality but in bag form.

As you can see it has a gorgeous shoe shop design, which I love.  There are other shop design bags, but being a shoe lover this is definitely my favourite and I think my mum made a good choice!  On the back of the bag it shows a women walking her dog with lots of shopping bags (this is definitely like me!).

The inside of the bag has a cute London print lining and has multiple pockets.  I really like the multiple pockets as it makes it easier to find things and keep your phone separated from your keys.  This bag also came with another strap so as you could make it into a cross body bag but I much prefer just using the smaller handles.

So there you have it; my favourite bag!  I really think if you looking for something a little different as a present for someone (or for yourself!) then you should take a little look at their website.

Have you heard of Vendula London?  If you have what do you have any of their products and if you haven’t what do you think of them?

Rimmel to Launch Wonder’full Mascara and Brow Gel

This summer sees the release of two new products from Rimmel:; Wonder’full Mascara and a series of Brow Gels.  I’m really looking forward to the launch of the Wonder’full Mascara as it contains Argan oil so I can’t wait to see what its like.  It does seem like Argan oil is being added to almost everything at the moment.  According to Rimmel due to the mascara containing the Argan oil it will dry quickly and mean that the lashes will not clump together.  The mascara brush is also flexible in order to ensure that all the lashes are coated from root to tip.

The new Brow Gel will be available in both clear and coloured shades.  This will helps to define brows and keep them in place all day.  The formula is said to be light weight and long lasting; which is great because you don’t want to be constantly trying to fix your brows?  If you know me then you’ll know that I love brow products and barley ever leave the house without doing them so I am looking forward to giving this a go.

There is a little while to weight before they are released as they won’t be on sale until the 6th August.  The  Wonder’full mascara will retail at £7.99 and the Brow Gels will be £3.99.

 

*Image from press release*

Little Bloggin Tips – Comments and Clickable Links

I find that comments are the hardest area for bloggers and I think that it takes time for people to comment on you blog.  You really have to be patient and there is no quick way of magically making people want to comment.  I do however have a few tips that you can try;

• Interact with your followers – I think that this is really important, if someone has taken the time to comment you should try your best to reply to them.  I know that this obviously isn’t possible so try not to judge someone if they don’t reply straight away/at all especially if there is chance they might be really busy.  For instance if I have exams coming up then I might not be able to reply straight away but I do always try and reply to comments.

• Ask questions – Remember that there are people at the other side of the screen reading you blog!  I always like to ask a question at the end of a post to find out what you think and what your opinions are.  I think this is one of the easiest ways to engage with your readers and something that you should definitely try.

• Comment on other blogs – This is also a good way of trying to engage with others in the blogging community and some will also return the favour by commenting on yours.  Not everyone will do this so it shouldn’t be expected but if someone comments on my blog and I have time then I will have a look at their blog and try and comment back.

• Leaving clickable links in  comments – I’ve started trying to learn HTML and thought I’d let you know how to leave a clickable link in your comment.

<a href=”put you blog link here”>put your blog name or your name here</a>

For example mine would be <a href=”http://sheslookingatthestars.com”>She’s Looking at the Stars</a>

If you’ve been reading my Little Blogging Tips Series I would love to know what you think of them and if you’ve found them helpful.  You can catch up with the rest of the series here.

MUA Cream Blush in Dolly

I’ve started branch out and start trying some different blushes, and when I saw this I though I’d give it a go as I remembered seeing lots of bloggers talking about them when they were first released.  I decided to try out the shade Dolly as it looks quite different from my other blushes.

The packaging is nothing fancy, just a plastic case with a clear flip top lid; but then at only £2 you can’t really be fussy about packaging can you?  I do like the fact the the lid is clear meaning that you can easily find it if it’s in with other products.  There are six other colours in the range, so although slightly limited there is a chance that there will be one that you like.

Dolly is a gorgeous peachy colour.  I find that it looks darker in the packaging than it does when it’s applied.  I’m still relatively new to cream blushes (this is only the second that I’ve tried so far) and compared to the Revlon Cream Blush I find that it feels thinner and is a little easier to blend if your just using your fingers.  I find that it applies really well and can be built up of you want a more stand out look.

Swatched and blended

I find that this blush last surprisingly well, especially considering the price, I find that it tends to last around 5 hours before you start to notice it fading.  I think it would last longer and have a more matte finish if you used on of MUA’s powder blushes on top – as they have corresponding powder blushes if you wish to do this.

Overall I really like this and will definitely be buying more from the MUA Cream Blush.  I’d really recommend them and being only £2 from Superdrug of the MUA website you can definitely afford to buy multiple 🙂

I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on these if you’ve tried them and any blusher recommendations you have!  I really don’t have that many, I mean 7 is not a lot right?

If you fancy winning an MUA cream blush in Dolly along with some other prizes; then check out my giveaway  – Obviously it’s not this one; it’s a nice new unopened one 🙂

Two Year Blogiversary + Giveaway

I can’t believe Monday marked my 2 year blogiverary.  I found it so hard to believe that it was 2 years ago that I decided to start my little blog.  Blogging has been such a great experience for me so far and I love sharing my thoughts on beauty and fashion with you all.  It’s also allowed me to attend events and meet new people which I feel has increase my confidence 🙂 I really appreciate the time that everyone takes to read my posts and comment and I just want to say thank you so much.

I just want to say a massive thank you to all my lovely followers and have decided to do a little giveaway.  I wasn’t sure what to buy but I decided to stick with what I know I like and hopefully the winner will also love.  So here’s what you could win…

• MUA Cream Blush in Dolly
• Collecton Lasting Colour Gel Liner in Black
• L’oreal Color Infaillible Eyeshadow in Endless Chocolat
• Eylure Katy Perry Individual Lashes in Ka-Zaam
• Collection Limited Edition Mardi Gras Lip Balm in Strawberry
• Barry M Ultra Moisturizing Lip Paint in Vicious Violet (No 156)

This giveaway is open internationally but there are some rules so please read this before you enter;

1. You must follow via Bloglovin.
2. The giveaway will run for three weeks.
3. If your country places extra tax on items I’m afraid that it’s the winners responsibility to pay this.
4. The winner will be chosen using rafflecopter.
5. The winner will be notified by email and the winner will have three working days to reply and accept their prize.  If no reply is received a new winner will be chosen.

Enter using the link below;

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1671592/

 

Thank you much for taking the time to read my blog; it really does mean a lot 🙂

Little Blogging Tips – Views and Followers

Views and followers tend to grow gradually over time, although some blog may gain popularity quite quickly this tend to be only a select few so don’t worry if you feel your blog isn’t getting as many as others. Here are some of the things that you can do to get your blog noticed a little more…

 

• Social Media – Make use of as many as you can! Most can be linked together so you can easily publish a status on multiple platforms in one go. Twitter and Instagram are definitely my favourite at the moment and are great ways to find new blogs and interesting posts. There are also ways of scheduling Tweets so that you can tell your followers about your new blog post without having to do it a few times a day. It’s called social for a reason so get chatting to other bloggers which leads nicely onto the next point.

• Twitter chats – Make as much use of these as you can! I’m pretty sure that there is one for everything that you can think of but the most popular I know are; #bbloggers (beauty bloggers), #fbloggers (fashion bloggers) #lbloggers (lifestyle bloggers). You can obviously use the hashtag whenever but at certain times there will be a chat with an actual topic allowing you to share your opinions and chat with other likeminded bloggers. At the end of the chats everyone usually exchanges links allowing everyone to find new blogs.

• Bloglovin – This is the most used platform for following blogs at the moment so make sure your blog has an account here so that people can follow your blog and like your posts (and obviously so you can follow your favourite bloggers too).

• Advertising –Some bloggers that have a good following and number of page views per month offer advertising, usually via a button/banner displayed on their page that links to your blog. This is something that I’ve done a couple of times, and it did result in people coming to my blog via the link but I’m not sure if any followers I gained during these times were because they followed via the advertisement or if they found my blog another way. It’s definitely something to try and see for yourself if it benefits your blog. Most bloggers that offer advertising have reasonable prices and different packages (e.g different size of button displayed, #ff on Twitter, a mention on an advertiser post ect) and usually run for one month.

• Don’t be one of those people – These are something’s that you shouldn’t do, follow other bloggers and expect them to follow back (and then unfollow when they don’t) or even worse leave a comment saying follow me and I’ll follow you back – most blogger hate this and will most likely just result in your comment being deleted. On Twitter chats at the end don’t just spam your link to everyone and not look at anyone else’s blog. Another thing that I’m not a fan of/I don’t think other people are either is blogs that are constantly doing giveaways (sometimes for no reason) in order to ‘buy’ followers – I’m not saying don’t ever have a giveaway, just limit them a little.

Just have fun with your blog if people can tell that you passionate about it and they enjoy your style of writing then they will come back and read your posts. Next week in my Little Blogging Tips series I’ll be talking about comments 🙂