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Review: Topshop Matte Nails Polish in Drink Pink

Topshop Matte Nails Polish in Drink Pink

I don’t own many matte nail polishes so I was happy to receive this for Christmas.
This is a dark pink, magenta shade from Topshop’s Matte Nails collection.
So what did I think of ‘Drink Pink’?

Swatched on my nails

Pros:
+ Easy application
+ Dried quickly
+ Colour in bottle is same on application
+ Opaque in one coat

Cons:
– Brush could be bigger

Notes:
Topshop have created a highly pigmented matte nail polish with a great finish. I’m not a fan of most of their polishes – they’re too sheer and don’t come out the same as they look in the bottle – but this one is different. Topshop recommend you use a base coat and two coats, but I actually didn’t have any base coat handy (forgetful traveller) and only did one coat. Yet the polish applied easily – although I felt the brush could have been slightly bigger – and was opaque in only one coat. The colour looked the same as the one in the bottle and dried quickly – like most matte polishes. During the drying process it gets to a point where you think it isn’t going to dry matte and may just stay shiny, but the final outcome is a wonderful matte finish with a slight sheen. I was very impressed. For £6 I will definitely be thinking about purchasing one of the other shades in the collection. Even better when they currently have a ‘2 for £9’ offer on their polishes.
You can purchase ‘Drink Pink’ at Topshop for £6.
View the other shades in the Matte Nails collection here.
bloomzy /

Review: Mavala That’s My Colour Nail Polish Set

Mavala That’s My Colour Nail Polish Set*

Mavala recently brought something very special to the beauty industry.
They decided to take inspiration from the fans and asked them to create 3 colours!
They did this by getting them to take photos of surfaces, materials etc. that would make great colours.
Thousands of people entered and finally the 3 finalists were chosen and their colours were created:
Argentum & Iridescence swatched

Pros:
+ Opaque in one coat
+ Good application
+ Easy to remove
+ Good consistency

Cons:
– Only lasted a couple of days

Notes:
Mavala is probably my favourite nail polish brand as they’re affordable and good quality. It only ever takes one coat to get an opaque finish with their polishes and these are no different. They’re also lovely polishes to apply as the consistency is good, as is the quality of the brush. Yet I feel that Mavala missed the mark ever so slightly. The colours are lovely, but I don’t think Argentum & Iridescence do justice to the items that were chosen by the finalists. That said, Hearth is a great replica. These polishes look great but they only lasted a couple of days on my nails, and that’s with a base and top coat. I’d like to try them out again but with maybe a different top coat, so hopefully they would last longer. 
Mavala’s That’s My Colour set is available at John Lewis.
Currently sold out online.
bloomzy /

Review: TIGI Catwalk Session Series Finishing Hairspray

Catwalk by TIGI Session Series Finishing Hairspray*

Hairspray is something every beauty addict has in their haircare collection.
It’s become a staple for not only beauty lovers but pretty much everyone nowadays.
That means there are tons out there, all promising different things. So which do you go for?
TIGI’s Catwalk series promises to offer model and fashion show worthy results.
That was the one thing that made it stand out for me from their other hairsprays.
Pros:
+ No nasty chemical smells
+ Didn’t feel as if I had any product on
+ Holds my hair in place for the whole day

Cons:
–
Notes:
That’s right I have no cons for this product!
You know I am an honest reviewer and always try to show the pros and cons (even if the cons are teeny tiny ones) of a product when I can, but I didn’t find any cons at all with this one. That doesn’t happen very often. Hairspray is a product I stopped using for a long time, because I found that a lot of the products out there left my hair feeling a bit gross. I’d find my hair stuck in place (rigid) with some, or others would leave it greasy etc. This hairspray didn’t do any of those, in fact it did it’s job without me feeling like I had anything on my hair. Now that’s impressive. It also didn’t have that strong chemical smell like some hairsprays do – you know, the kind that makes you feel that you have to fumigate your bathroom after one use. This is a great hairspray in my opinion, and for £13.50 it lives up to the high price point. Quality over quantity I say.
You can buy TIGI Catwalk Session Series Finishing Hairspray at Dirty Looks.
Currently on offer for £11.50!
bloomzy /

Review: Chapstick Lipsations Shimmer Berry & Tropical

Chapstick Lipsations Shimmer Berry & Tropical*

When Chapstick sent me a special Christmas beauty box I was over the moon.
Lip balms are the one thing I always stock up on and go mad with at this time of year.
I like to have a good variety of them at hand to keep my lips soft, moisturised and of course kissable.
That’s where Chapstick’s Lipsations Shimmer lip balms came in handy.
Pros:
+Moisturises
+ Adds a touch of shimmer
+ Smells delicious!
Cons:
– Slightly sticky
– Packaging was lacking

Notes:
I don’t have much to complain about here really. These are moisturising and have really helped add a little touch of glamour to my lips with the subtle shimmer they offer. They smell absolutely delicious too! I was tempted to lick my lips more than a few times whilst wearing these. Thankfully I managed to resist and stopped myself from creeping out everyone in the close vicinity. On the down side these were ever so slightly sticky, but not as bad as a lip gloss. I would have liked the packaging to be a bit more original but I think it stays true to the Chapstick brand, so that’s not a massive con. I would have loved the berry one to be tinted, but then I suppose it would have got lost in the tons of other tinted lip balms currently making the rounds. Also, I don’t think anyone would want to know what the tropical one would look like as a tinted balm. Rambling aside, these are great for Winter, especially if you prefer staying au naturale at Christmas parties but still want to add a bit of sparkle to your look. At £1.99 you really can’t go wrong.
You can buy Chapstick’s Lipsations Shimmer Berry & Tropical at Superdrug.
bloomzy /

Review: TIGI Bed Head Oh Bee Hive! Dry Shampoo

TIGI Bed Head Oh Bee Hive! Dry Shampoo*

TIGI is a brand created by hairdressers, for hairdressers.
Chances are you’ve seen it in pretty much every salon you’ve been to.
I don’t often buy products from salons, but I have tried TIGI in the past.
I’ve always been impressed with the brand so I was excited to try one of their dry shampoos.
Dry shampoo is a life saver for me as I use it to perk up my hair in-between washes and to add volume.
I use it pretty much everyday so I feel as though I can be a pretty good judge.
Pros:
+ Very light
+ Smells lovely
+ Good size product
+ Made my hair easier to style
+ Doesn’t leave powder residue
+ Freshens up hair with only a small amount of product

Cons:
– Didn’t offer as much volume to my hair as I’d hoped

Notes:
The first thing that hit me when I tried this for the first time was the scent. It smells absolutely lovely and the fragrance stayed on my hair afterwards too. I thought this made it stand out from other dry shampoo products and definitely was a big bonus in my books. It’s worked well at freshening up my hair in between washes too. Unfortunately though I didn’t feel that it added as much volume as I had hoped for, which was a shame as it’s one of the main reasons I use dry shampoos. Still, the product was very light and didn’t weigh my hair down. It also didn’t leave any powder white residue, which I’ve found can be a problem with other brands. The bottle is cute and you get quite a bit of product, so no complaints there. At £12.95 it’s one of he higher end dry shampoos out there, but I love the fragrance, packaging and how it gets rid of any excess oil, so I would consider it. The only thing holding me back was the lack of volume it offered.
You can buy TIGI’s Oh Bee Hive! Dry Shampoo at Dirty Looks.
bloomzy /

Review: MUA Velvet Lip Laquer in Reckless

MUA’s Velveteen Dupe – Velvet Lip Laquer in Reckless
I’ve been after this ever since I saw the teaser photo MUA posted months ago.
These are part of MUA’s new Luxe range, and dupes of Lime Crime’s Velveteens.
I’ve heard a lot of bad things about Lime Crime and their products so have stayed away.
Still, the velvet lip is something I wanted for a long time so I grabbed this when I saw it in store.
Pros:
+ Good range of colours
+ Highly pigmented
+ Didn’t dry out my lips
+ Great price
+ Long wearing
Cons:
– Application needs time to get used to
– Stains skin slightly
Once again MUA has duped a popular product and done it properly.
Lime Crime’s Velveteens are £12 whilst these are only £3 – enough said.
Not only is the price very very good, but the quality of the product exceeds expectation.
I was expecting a gloopy mess that would bleed everywhere when I put this on for the first time. I was happily surprised though when neither of those happened. True this was slightly difficult to apply on the first go, but once I was used to the consistency I didn’t have any trouble at all. It does stain a little, so you need to make sure you stay within the lines of your lips – or you’ll be cursing and scrubbing at the marks left behind on your skin. I’ve only had that problem once whilst using it for the last 10 days straight. It’s amazingly pigmented and dries to a wonderfully matte finish – so no bleeding or lip gloss on your teeth. Somehow it also makes my lips look a lot bigger than they actually are, which is always a plus. I’m also in love with the colour – it’s the perfect dark red for A/W. It lasts throughout eating and drinking, although it does need re-applying throughout the day. Basically I love this and would definitely recommend it. I may have to include it in a few stockings this year too.
You can buy MUA’s Luxe Velvet Lip Laquers online, or in Superdrug stores.
bloomzy /

Review: Elle Macpherson The Body Nail Wraps

Elle Macpherson The Body Nail Wraps by Homedics*

Nail wraps are nothing new but recently I’ve seen a sudden resurgence.
I’m not surprised as they’re an ‘easy’ and simple way to get a great nail look.
I decided to test out a new range of wraps by Elle Macpherson for Homedics.
Poorly Applied wraps

Pros:
+ Great effect
+ Easy to remove
+ Lasts longer than polish
+ Love the gold & silver options
+ Wraps come with a variety of sizes

Cons:
– Difficult to apply perfectly
– Not keen on the pink wraps

Notes:
I knew straightaway that I would have trouble applying these.
I’m not the best with nail wraps and these weren’t any different to others I’d used.
I loved the final look of the wraps and that they came in a variety of sizes (and with a free nail file to help apply them), but I found it difficult to get a perfect crease-free application. I did manage to do it on my first application on my little finger, but didn’t seem to have much luck with the remaining ones. One of the tips given in the instructions is to use a hair dryer to help sort out the creases after you have first applied them. I didn’t have time to try this but I think I will next time, as I imagine it would help. The gold and silver wraps are gorgeous and look amazing on – robot chic, anyone? The glittery pink isn’t for me though. I need more practise with these but overall I was quite happy with them.
You can purchase Elle Macpherson’s nail wraps at Homedics for £9.99 each