Bulletproof Nails | Rimmel Salon Pro | Kate Moss

Hello :]

Hope you had a sparkly 5th of November!

So sadly, I’m one of the unfortunate people who always seems to smudge and/or chip nail varnish within minutes of applying it. It doesn’t matter if I paint my nails at home or go for a manicure; it just doesn’t last very long! I’ve tried numerous brands which claim no chipping, long lasting etc...

 

Lies!

No, I’m just kidding, they obviously just don’t work for me as my job is very hands on. So when I was out shopping the other day and saw this amazing colour ‘Barmy Blue’ from Rimmel, I figured I’d try it out but didn’t expect much. This is from the Rimmel Salon Pro line, and the colour is from the Kate Moss collection.

It claims to be a long lasting, chip resistant polish with a gel like finish.

 

The first thing I noticed was that the flat, dense brush had a rounded tip, making it such a nice shape to work with. I could never stay in the colouring lines as a kid, so you can imagine the state of my manicures. The colour pigment and application was really easy, it's not too thin or thick, so you can create very sheer or solid layers depending on how much time you have. The picture above shows 2 very thin coats, which is solid to the naked eye, but I did pop another coat on afterwards, just to make sure. I felt that the drying time was pretty much the same as my other polishes, but the finish is lovely! Very shiny and reminiscent of gel, and I haven’t even got to the best bit yet...It didn’t chip!

Hurray!

 It’s an actual miracle :]

I’m majorly impressed with this little pot of nail magic. I did put a top coat on, but it only started to chip on the 5^th day, and even then it was only on a couple of fingers on my dominant hand, and on day 7 it was just wearing away slightly on the edges. It does say ‘with lycra’ on the bottle, which makes me think that the polish is more bendy, which is why it doesn’t really chip? (So scientific)

This is definitely my new favourite nail product, I was so impressed I went out and got another colour after the first couple of days of wearing ‘Barmy Blue’. (‘Punk Rock’ a pretty muted purple/grey) I’m planning on slowly owning them all because they are seriously top notch. I reckon if you added your top coat daily, it could realistically last well over a week.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you’ve tried this polish! I would love to know your holy grail nail products too :]

Gem

x

Happy Halloween! | Ottersghoul

Happy Halloween!

 

This is my pumpkin I carved, she's called Jacqueline

 

Hope you have fun celebrating in whatever way you decide :]

 

I chose to go to the scary event that is 'Ottersghoul'. Now I love a good zombie film/TV show, but this still scared me to the point of genuine terror, which is what I feel you should be looking for on Halloween.

 

 I thought I would do a little review of Ottersghoul for you in case you're in or around the area, as it's definitely worth a trip. You can find this at Otterspool Promenade, Liverpool, which is a great place to go during the day too because it has a restaurant, café, high ropes course, climbing/abseiling stuff, a playground and a bunch of other things always going on!
 

 So, back to the point.

Basically, Ottersghoul is a creepy event, in which you have 3 locations to visit: The Maze of Terror, Zombie Train and Drop of Doom.

 

 Drop of Doom

I’m so sorry, but I have a super bad phobia of heights so there was no chance I was doing the drop! From what I observed (from far, far away) they harness you up and you can jump off a very high tower. No thanks. But now, I think that might have been the least scary thing I could have done!

 

The Maze of Terror

Totally lives up to its name, queuing outside you see people coming out nervous laughing to hide the fear or shaking, whilst all you can hear is screams and shrieks. I was a complete bag of nerves, clutching onto my friend for dear life! We went in timidly, and because it’s a maze you obviously don’t know your way out! This increased the panic levels and scream volume, (naturally) then add on being cornered by a werewolf, chased by a zombie and shrieked at by a vampire. I had pure terror and adrenaline running through my veins. So, naturally, I bend over into a ball with my friend, and hid our faces until my boyfriend came to save us...Making women proud everywhere. Haha! I don’t want to spoil it if you’re going, but for me this was the scariest bit and totally made my night all at the same time.

 

 Zombie Train

Well, this was pretty unnerving too! You and your group take a little train ride to the woods, exactly what I would want to do on a rainy, pitch black night. Then you have to walk through the woods, where you are not alone. I’m not going to lie, I ran quite a bit, especially when you spot someone unfriendly stalking you. This one was more psychological I feel, as the atmosphere and anticipation set it all off, like any good horror film!

 

I have to admit, Ottersghoul was the best thing I’ve experienced for ages, and I’m excited for next year. I take my hat off to all the people working behind Ottersghoul, as it is utterly frightening and a perfect thing to do to celebrate Halloween.

 

Thank you!

 

What are you doing for Halloween :] ?

Gem

x

 

Vine Grind On Me Hash Tag | What Is This!?

Oh internet, you are full of wonder and craziness.

I just got lost in a Vine black hole, which was roughly one whole hour of my life I will never get back.

 It was pretty fun though :] 

 

Back to the point, has anyone else witnessed the 'grind on me' hash tag!? What has Magic Mike done to the male population? Now, I would like to point out that I stumbled upon this on the popular page...I felt I needed to clear that up.

Basically, teen boys/men/males/even girls jump down into a handstand/press up and precede to humpday the floor...?
 

That's not the strangest part!
 

It seems the requirements are for the male to be shirtless, wearing a snazzy snapback, and some very long shorts/very short pants. Whack in a bit of RnB and they're good to go bump and grind on the floor.

 

 What is this...? I don't even...
 

I am out of my depth. Someone help me out here! I'm feeling very old right about now, which is saying something, as I actually got I.D'd for an energy drink the other day *sigh*
I guess I just want to know how this started? Is it like Drake hands or What does the Fox say?

S.O.S

 

Gem

x

P.s I'm 24.

 

Topshop Cream Blush | Afternoon Tea | Review

Okay, I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for a cream blush.

I just like the way they blend into my hamster cheeks, and how they can be built up from subtle flush, to full on creepy doll face. I’ve only tried high street/drugstore ones, but my very favourite is the Topshop Cream Blushes. I’ve got a little horde of them now, and to add to the collection I picked up 'Afternoon Tea'.



I bought this firstly for the colour, and secondly for the name! The packaging is cute too, and all for £6.

 

I know we’re coming into Autumn and it’s all about the orange and burgundy colours, but I don’t like or suit them...

So take that fall! I will disobey your colour palette. Ha.

This is a real Spring colour, pink and sweet and cute. It looks like something Barbie may heave up after a heavy night on the town, and I love it. It gives me life, I’ve got a yellow undertone so I feel like this counteracts it and makes it acceptable for me to leave the house.

All of the Topshop cream blushes I’ve tried have the same silky, smooth texture that’s just super easy to blend under, or over powder/foundation. I like to apply my base and pop the blush on with my fingers, then I let it settle while I finish my makeup. It goes on fine with a brush too, but the warmth of your fingers helps to blend. To make sure I get a good colour and staying power, I just add another little layer at the end of my makeup routine. If you put a touch of powder blush over the top, then this stuff is pretty much bulletproof.

That's a lot of positive praise for a little dotty compact, but I genuinely like these blushes and use them daily. So if you're undecided about them, then I hope I've helped you out!

What your favourite cream blush? I’m looking to move out of my comfort zone!

Gem

x

Shopping Outfit

Hello :]

I thought I would do a little outfit post today, because I went shopping last weekend and felt good about what I was wearing.

A) Because it was comfortable, and

 B) Because it was practical

What more could you ask of a shopping outfit? I might do another OOTD style post, as I plan on shopping again this coming weekend...I know, I have a problem. In my defence, I seem to be surrounded by enablers!

T-Shirt: New Look | Denim Shirt: Primark | Disco Pants: Topshop | Necklace: H&M | Converse

Now, when I go shopping I like to see it as an adventure. I like to feel free, and enjoy exploring Dora style. I love wandering in to the big, wondrous caves (Primark) and mining away (elbow other crazed shoppers) to find the magical gems (Primark sale bargain).  Anyway, as the weather was being unsure and having a few tantrums, I went for light layers. I feel like I live in the T-shirt and long shirts combo, but it works and it’s easy to mix up. The little stud detailing on the shirt gives it a little edge and interest. As I had a serious shopping route planned, a pair of Converse was a no brainer - studded by yours truly. Yes, I love studs. Teaming all this with the infamous disco pants, as these are stretchy for food breaks, and much easier to whip off and on in the fitting rooms.

Do you have specific shopping clothes? I would like to know that I’m not alone out here!

Gem

X

P.s I took my backpack. Not only does this carry a tonne of things (which turns out to be mostly lip balms in my bag), but it leaves your arms and hands free to carry all the goodies home.

Little Pot of Goodness | Lush Review | Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask

Lush, that store you can smell from at least 3 miles away. It’s not a shop I would say I ever really go in. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve ventured in to poke the shower jelly and try a few bits and bobs, strangely never a bath bomb though which is what Lush is known for. So anyway, me and Lush, we never really got to know each other until quite recently.

For a while now I’ve been trying to move into the natural beauty/make up area, as I think it’s better for my skin. This is mainly because of breakouts, and all that other fun stuffs my face likes to do now and then. So I’ve got my skin care down, and I was looking to embellish it with fun, helpful things like face masks! Now there’s a bunch of home recipes floating around the internet, but I’m lazy and wanted something I can just go and buy and slap on, without breaking the bank. Naturally (heh) Lush kept popping up when I was researching, so I figured I might as well give it a go. I didn’t go in knowing what I wanted, beside a fresh face mask. After reading the descriptions in store, and sniffing/poking a few of the different options, I ended up coming out with Cosmetic Warrior. This is supposed to target break outs, by calming them down and treating them.

 

First impressions

 I like that it has to be kept in the fridge, as it’s basically mashed up food for your face, you can’t get much more natural than that. Also, because it’s fresh it has a short life span, (3-4 weeks)  I think I will be forced to make the effort to use it or lose it, which will most likely give better results. Plus it feels good because it’s cold out of the fridge :]

 So firstly, the texture is kind of a rubbery paste, so it sticks to your face well. The smell however...Wow! I did read the ingredients, but when I sniffed it in store it didn’t smell of anything...looking back though, how well can you actually smell anything specifically in Lush! Haha. The garlic, tea tree and egg are strong, it gave me a bit of a shock, so as you can imagine it doesn’t smell pretty! I got used to the smell after a couple of minutes and it was all fine, nothing too bad or unbearable.

So I walked around the house looking beautiful, with a porridge-esque paste on my face, with actual garlic chunks for about 10 minutes. I found that tingled a smidge at first, and then it started to dry out. When I washed it off, I was pleasantly surprised at how much calmer the breakouts were, and my skin felt moisturised and soft.

I always get scared when I try a new skin care item, in case it just hinders what I’m trying to heal, however I’m glad I tried this as I genuinely feel it is helping. I used this for the first time after I removed makeup for bed, and I think it aided my other night time products, making them work better. For £5.95 I love this little pot of goodness, I reckon I will get another 2 uses out of it, so it’s good value for money.

I’m itching to try something else from Lush now! Any suggestions?

Gem

x

St Ives | Mini Staycation

Hello :]

I learnt how to schedule blog posts, which is super handy because I was away in Cornwall last week on a little break. Not that I think you would noticed, and also because the auto upload makes it seem like I'm here when I'm not! Which is nice and sad all at the same time.

Technology eh.

We (me and boyfriend) made the long trip down in the car, and stayed in St Ives, or as we liked to call it 'St Ive-not-seen-a-real-road-since-we-left-the-motorway.....S'.

It’s such a pretty place, and we were in a prime location (for walking, not driving!) pretty much in the centre of the village/town, in a cute, little rented apartment. If you’re into your arts & craft then this is definitely a place you should consider visiting, it’s literally jam packed with designer makers and one off pieces of work, ranging from drawings and paintings, to clothes, ceramics and surfboards. I thought I’d share a few pictures with you, because that will give you a better idea than I ever could with words!

 

As you can see from the bottom left image, I really enjoy a good cream tea haha.

 

If you are going, I highly recommend that you try Blas Burger Works, the food is incredible. Seriously yummy! I had a BBQ burger which I could have eaten a million times over, and the chips are served in a cute little tea cup with a delicious garlic mayo dip. However, the most impressive thing is the fact that everything in there is reclaimed, recycled or eco friendly. The furniture is cool and quirky, much like the walls and cutlery holders. It’s a really engaging place, which something to see everywhere you turn.

 

Also if you are of age and enjoy a tipple, it is imperative that you try the Cornish cider (or cyder) Rattler. You may only need the one though, as this stuff is potent at 6%. Nice and tasty though after a long trek across a couple of beaches, and easy to find as it’s on tap pretty much everywhere you go. You can get the full experience at Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, about 40 mins away from St Ives.

 

We did a ghost walk of St Ives too, went to Newquay, visited the towns close by, lost a bunch of money in the arcades, gain a lots of pounds in weight from the great food, and generally just took in the nice harbour air and relaxed. Prefect. The weather was nice for us too!

Have you been to St Ives, or are you planning on going?

Let me know :]

Gem

x