Barry M Textured Nail Paint: Atlantic Road and Station Road Swatch and Review

Another post while I am in the mood!

Another collection Barry M released this Spring was the textured nail paint range, I was skeptical at first because I was worried the texture would go through me, so I didn't want to go mad and buy them all. I got Station Road because all the reviews I read mentioned that it had a shimmer to it, and I love shimmer in a polish, and I got Atlantic Road because it was most appealing from the other colours. They are very similar to the pastel colours.

I was pleasantly surprised by the texture, it's slightly less rough than a breezeblock and I just find myself stroking my nails when it on.

Just a quick picture to show the golden shimmer.

I used to coats to cover the nail, first coat is quite thin but sorted with 2, they do take a while to dry I found, longer than normal nail polish. I found removal was ok, not as hard as glitter to get rid of!

The textured nail paints also come in a pastel green and pink and retail at £3.99 from BarryM.com, Boots and Superdrug.

Have you tried any textured nail polishes? what do you think?

Barry M Gelly Collection Lychee and Greenberry Swatch and Review

Been neglecting my blog a bit, I have plenty of swatches to upload but just not feeling it at the moment. Plus I have my mums old sewing machine so I am playing around with that at the moment. I have my first GlossyBox on the way and I am referring my cousin to sky so we both get £75 voucher which can be spent in boots, saving myself for that major shopping trip!

Another 2 gellys today, these were part of the Spring Collection along with another 2, DragonFruit and Papaya.

Greenberry is my 2nd favourite after Dragonfruit, I love bright colours.

They felt quite thick to apply, but I still needed to coats for full opacity, they were slightly patchy at one. Lychee is the neutral shade, reminds me of milky coffee, and greenberry is a really bright odd shade of green, I love it. Wish I had done my nails the other way round, I prefer greenberry to Lychee.

As always doesn't need a top coat, I had it on for almost a week, and it didn't loose much shine and didn't chip much either.

You can buy these from BarryM.com, Superdrug and Boots for £3.99

Did you get any of the spring range? which was your favourite?

My Tattoos!

Today I got two new tattoos, making my total a nice even 10. Going to stop for a while though, had my fill of needles, but I love my tattoos so I thought I would make a post showing them off. I got my first tattoo when I was 15 so that was 10 years ago, ouch. Feeling old

 So this is my tramp stamp, it was the second tattoo I ever got and I was about 15 so you can see why its not the best i have got! If a place is going to tattoo a 15 year old don't expect quality!

 Then came my first MJ tattoo, I was about 16 and to convince my mum to let me it had to be something small and in a place that no one could ever see, so I got this little logo on my hip.

I think I was 18 or almost 18 when I got this one. Its a purple and black butterfly on my left shoulder.

Hard to get a picture of this one and keep it classy! This is one of my favourites, and finally done at a really nice tattoo studio.

This I got as a cover up for my very first tattoo, it was awful, awful shop. If you look closely you can just about see 2 of the bats that were part of it. Great tattoo, it even went back to normal after having a child! Which I was happy about.

I  got this tattoo the day after he died :( I was almost crying but not from the pain haha, also one of my favourites.

I got this one after my daughter was born, thats her name and I wanted something extra so I got the deathly hallows with a twist! I think the final film had just been on or had about to, but I have followed harry potter for over half my life so it seemed like the right tattoo to get. This was in 2010

I got too poor for tattoos after my girl was born, so skip 3 years later to 2013. A new shop opens up in prestwich, sorry mum studio, and I was excited to finally have a decent shop here, and I had a bit extra money to be able to save up.
First I got the phoenix, its a really pretty bird and it is also a little nod to harry potter, again.

Which brings us to the two I got today, my THIRD MJ tattoo and Stephen Kings signature. The SK one on my ribs was the most painful tattoo I have ever had, I was lay there thinking I would rather give birth than have a tattoo there, ever again.

So I am officially done with needles and tattoos for at least a few years now haha. I have had my fun, time to focus on paying for my childminding.

Barry M Nail Art Pens Review

I have never been able to do any kind of art, let alone nail art! The pens I have seen have usually had really thin nibs where the ink just pools out. I was supposed to do this post last night but I wasn't happy with what I did so waited today to do some more.

When Barry M announced their pens though I had to at least give them a go.

 It was 3 for 2 on Barry M in Superdrug.. I left the black, but may get it in the future. I was really impressed with them. To get it flowing you have to push the nib down a few times, on a piece of paper or something, its the shape of a felt tip but solid, and the polish just comes down the side. It doesn't leak every where or pool out onto your nail. Very simple to use.

Here is what I came up with:

I have seen the cloud art before and really wanted to try it out! Using Barry M belly in blueberry as a base, not too bad for a first attempt. Think I need to work on my flowers though! Doesn't take long to dry, and I did use 2 coats of white for the clouds. Not the best colour to show up silver though oops. Wish they had brought out a gold, really want a gold.

Nail Art pens are £4.99 available from Barry M, Superdrug and Boots. Get them now while they are on offer! 

So what do you think of the pens? Any tips for someone who has never done nail art before??

Rimmel London Pear Drop Nail Polish Swatch and Review

Another post tonight! making up for the lack of them.

I saw another blog I follow (Imagination in Colour) review this nail polish and I just HAD to have it. I just love the colour.

How would I describe this colour?? It doesn't exactly bring to mind pear drops but I do love it, its so bright and its not plain, which I love. I used 2 coats to completely cover the nail. You can get these polishes from superdrug or boots for £2.99. Yet another perfect colour for summer! what do you think?

Also feeling quite proud of my nails in these pictures! I have never had my nails grow so long and be as strong as they are now. I got recommended to use Nail Envy but thats just too expensive, so I am using a rimmel repair and strengthener, they are doing a good job!

MUA Nail Polish Pistachio Icecream Swatch and Review

Oh I have been so bad at this since I came back from London! Just sat at home wishing I could go back.. september...

Also had a bit of a rename of the blog.. oops. Even though my next few posts are nail polish related, I changed it because I want to talk about more than just nail polish sometimes I was feeling to restricted. I just got an Avon catalogue so expect an Avon post once a month! Has anyone else ever felt like that?

Any way last week I decided to get one of the new MUA bottles, I think they're quite cute! only £1 and some really nice shades, love pastel colours at the moment. This one really does remind me of pistachio ice cream, one of my faves!

Apologies for the state of the application, not very neat, I did find the tiny brush hard to use but I haven't had much sleep this week, poorly child, that will be my excuse. Quite a thick polish it was almost opaque in one coat. I prefer the new bottles, a round lid is much easier to use than a square and they look like mini essie bottles - a brand that is too expensive for me! I think its a really nice colour.

Have you tried any of the new MUA nail polishes? 

E45 Nourish & Restore Review

Just over a month ago I joined a website called BzzAgent. You answer surveys and (hopefully!) get invited to take part campaigns, where you get sent a product to test out, then you need to spread the word, review it, give out samples and vouchers and just try to get it talked about. 

My very first campaign is E45 lotion. Nourish & Restore is enriched with vitamin B3 and is supposed to restore skin suppleness in 3 weeks, it is recommended for normal to dry skin. This winter has been quite harsh on my skin, I don't have extremely visibly dry skin, but it isn't very soft and my face is quite dry so I was happy to get this is as my first campaign.

Complete apologies for the pictures of my legs in this blog! 

The lotion feels nice and light, it absorbs into the skin quickly so I'm not sat there for ages waiting to be able to get dressed after I've put it on! It doesn't really have a scent, I don't mind but I do like things that smell nice.

Ok apologies! This is my leg before I used it, my knee looks quite dry but not extremely so, none of my leg feels soft at all! 

This is after one use! Noticeably softer, knee doesn't look awful any more and the colour has evened out, even if I am still extremely pale!

I have been using E45 for a week now and my legs, for the first time ever, actually feel nice, I'm so glad I was invited to take part in this trial.

Has anyone else used this product or any of the other E45 moisturisers? What do you think?

My Mini Trip To London!

So its not going to be a usual blog today, I have just spent an amazing 2 days in London and I want to share it so I can look back, warning this could be quite long!
A few months ago me and my friend decided to go to London, we both have young children so it was quite hard to go without them but it wasn't for long, we really deserve it :D

The plan was on the Weds to go to Madame Tussauds in the afternoon then to watch an evening showing of Les Miserables. On the Thursday to the Harry Potter Warner Brothers Tour and a London Bus Tour. It was all just amazing. It was a shame we had to tour London via a bus because couldn't get as close to some places as I would like, but thats for next time ;) I still got to see sights I hadn't seen before like The Tower, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square.

So on Weds morning we went to get our hair done, I'm very poor so I just got them to straighten is as I am rubbish at doing that. We got the super fast Virgin train which took just over 2 hours, amazing! I dod get travel sick though so I could have done without the tilt! We were staying at the Kings Cross Royal Scot travelodge, it was good for the price, couldn't complain. We got settled then off to Madame Tussauds via the tube. I do love the tube, once I'm there I find it quite easy to figure out, plus I got an oyster card! 

Madame Tussauds:

It was ok,  VERY busy surrounded by ignorant french school kids. I did like it but it wasn't as amazing, I just felt silly having picture taken with fake celebrities! And the marvel 4D cinema isn't really my thing but it was fun. A few of the many pictures me with George Clooney, Emma Watson and MJ. 

Les Miserables:

Very exciting to go to the west end! Got all dressed up, don't think I have ever looked that good before! Went out for tea in china town as it was right next to it, that place does not take card! anywhere! 

The first experience I had with Les Mis was the film and I thought it was amazing, then I watched the 25th anniversary and the film just doesn't compare! The cast this time around was brilliant, I always fall in love with Enjolras, and this was no different. I can't stand Marius and Cosette though. The stage rotated too, my favourite part was when they were singing one day more I think.

Dress is from new look £16.99! never worn peplum because i thought it would make my hips huge, I really liked my dress. Then a picture of queens theatre and Enjolras, couldn't take pictures during the show so these are from the souvenir guide.

HARRY POTTER TOUR:

Had to get up at 7 to get ready to go here, have to get the overground from Euston which is about half an hour then a harry potter bus! I cant even explain how excited I was, growing up with harry potter for over half my life, couldn't wait to get here. Got there early so had a look round the shop, oh my god I just wanted it all bad idea. Queuing up to get in you can look at the cupboard under the stairs, led into a little cinema room, then to the great hall, I almost cried at this point, you get to walk around various sets, interact with things they do wand lessons, I had my photo taken with a death eater haha. When you go outside you can have pictures with the bus, the ford anglia, the flying motorcycle. Theres also no4, godrics hollow and the bridge. You can buy butterbeer and for £6.50 keep the tankard, its hard to describe really! very sweet.

Back inside theres the creatures, and gigantic huge aragog which should be avoided by all arachnophobes! Then you get to walk down Diagon Ally! At this point we ran into my friend who works here and she took us through to the last room, at which point I actually did cry ahahaha what am I. After that is the wand room where anyone who ever had anything to do with the films/books has there name on a wand box. At the shop I practically had to be dragged out I bought:

• Fawkes cuddly toy
• slytherin scarf
• dark mark keyring
• a picture of draco haha
• bertie botts
• honeydukes chocolate
• a time turner necklace
• chocolate frog

I wanted a wand and gloves but I have some amazon vouchers on the way to get a wand, and I will get the gloves next time :P Ok going to try and limit the photos I put up, I took A LOT. We have the badge that was given to us, going to wear it always! On the bike ha, a glimpse of the potter bus you can take there, the massive model of hogwarts - i have been assured that I am not the only one who has been teary, the statue from the ministry - magic is might and my death eater pic <3

London Bus Tour:

Final thing to do, get to Piccadilly Circus and onto the Original Bus Tour. We took the yellow route. Went round all the places you can imagine in london westminster, buckingham palace but you dont really see it, the financial area, the tower, across the thames the famous squares, st pauls cathedral. We had a fun tour guide, it was quite chilly though so I used my newly acquired slytherin scarf to keep warm. I was also having a fit about the time worrying we wouldn't get back! but we did, next time I think I will walk around the sites been to westminster 3 times now, so at least I can miss that! 

I hated leaving, in love with London, was great to get back to my little girl though, even if she was asleep! She thinks Fawkes is a penguin.

After I have paid for my course I am seriously considering saving up to go near my birthday in September and taking her with me.

I would love to chat about it so if anyones been leave me a comment! 

xx

Sinful Colours: Timbleberry, Mint Apple and Cinderella Swatch and Review

Another bargain for me today! 

My boots points were just screaming at me to be spent, and after the success I had with the first 3 Sinful Colours, I got 3 more! Two of them I saw on another blog that I follow, and I really had to have them, its still 3 for 2 in boots and I had enough points just to get these 3.

 First up is Timbleberry - as strange name but it is a really bright red/orange/coral. Its a lot brighter on my nails than the pictures show, quite neon! I only needed 2 coats to cover my nails.

 Second is Mint Apple. Not getting apple from the colour but definitely minty. It has a subtle shimmer, which is really nice, I do love a nail polish with a shimmer! Only needed 2 coats to cover the nail, very pleased. I was after a brighter colour, more of a bright teal but when I saw they had this one in stock I had to get it.

And finally my personal favourite of the 3, Cinderella. When I saw this one I really had to have it! The review I read said it needs 3 coats at least, and even though that usually puts me off, I didn't care, I love it so much. I did need 3 coats, and probably could have done with a 4th. Its a baby blue with an iridescent shimmer, had it on all day and it hasn't chipped. It really reminds me of the colour of Cinderellas dress.

Took more pictures of this one to try and capture the tones.

Sinful Colours are £1.99 available from Boots, and get there before the 3 for 2 deal is over, how could you not!

Used any Sinful Colours yet?