Blogging Tag

I just got tagged in a post over on Mad Hatters Nail Party, I haven't done a post like this before, so I hope you find it interesting, I haven't really been blogging long but I  will try my best! 

1) Why did you start blogging?
At first I started following a few nail polish blogs, two specifically that I found on Barry M page, they were my first obsession. Then I started thinking maybe I could make one because I was buying nail polish all the time, and I just went for it! Then I felt too restricted having it just about nail polish, its mostly what I talk about but I like leaving it open to be able to talk about anything I want, if I feel like it.

2) Whats the story behind the name of your blog?
Oh there is no story! I don't like the name at all but its the 3rd one! I started with Lily Rose Nail Blog, which is my daughters name, then I changed it to Over The Rainbow, and I liked that but the name had nails in it, and I wanted to get away from it, so I have been very unimaginative, I think I like to try and be recognised more for my username of Zoe Yvonne.

3) Do you stick to a scheduled with your posts or do you post when you feel inspired ?
I just post when I feel like it, with having nice weather (ish!) recently I have been busy to be regular, I have lots of stuff I could write about but just lacking motivation right now. I have only scheduled one post, but I am not sure if I like that, because I like to make a tweet once it goes up, to try and get it out there.

4)What do you like most about blogging?Unfortunately I like finding out about new products! Since I started blogging I have bought more make up, and got into using it more than I ever have. Never wore blusher, and certainly never wore lipstick but now I have a nice little collection.

I like talking to people too, I haven't met anyone who I talk to all the time, but I had the odd conversation sometimes, and its a start, I get very bored once my little girl goes to bed so anyone to talk to at all is nice.

so not really knowing anyone I don't have anyone to tag! But please feel free to answer the questions and post the link in my comments! 

Mini Body Shop Haul

I got  an email about 40% off EVERYTHING at The Body Shop, including sale items, I don't usually shop at The Body Shop because it is too expensive, but this deal was too good to miss! I didn't want to spend more than £10 because I have no money, also had a code for a free lip balm.

In the end I ended up spending £6, and I got this:

Pre discount it came to a tenner. The Love Your Body card is usually £5 but you got it free if you spent over £5! With it you get 10% off purchases, a free gift worth £5 on your birthday and free gifts after so many purchases over £10. Its only valid a year, but can be renewed.

This is the free lip balm, my shop only had toffee by the time I could get there, also got my mum to pick me one up too :D

This spiced vanilla lip balm was the only one in the shop, I love the tin and it was only £1.50! Its a bit thin, and I find all Body Shop lip balms taste funny, but I love the smell. one of my favourites.

Born Lippy lip balm in Guava, again I find it a bit greasy and doesn't taste as nice as it smells, but it smells too good to care! 

I needed to buy something to take me over the £5 for the card, and there was a tub of these at the till, I absolutely love coconut, especially from The Body Shop. It's like the sanitising gels, you put it on, rub it in and it just disappears, smells lovely.

I have wanted to the the rainforest shampoo for a while, I was waiting for my ginger shampoo to run out, but this a nice little trial size of it before buying a full bottle. This is silicone, sulfate, colourant and paraben free. A great cleansing shampoo if you have a build up of product on your hair or if it gets greasy easily. I was worried it would leave my hair dry, it can be dry sometimes, but it left it nice and soft, I used the comb to brush the conditioner through, just because it came with it really.

I am glad I have had this opportunity to get some Body Shop products at an affordable price, I will definitely be on the look out for more sales! 

My Pad For an iPad - Living Room

Last month I entered a competition on Blogging Edge, the task was to describe my bedroom, this month its living room.

I have 2 rooms downstairs the front room is known as 'the playroom' its full of all the toys for my daughter, and where I will be working from when I am a childminder.

The second room, which for this blog, will be my living room. Even though I spend all the day in the front room, this is MY room.

I wont be winning any competitions for having a tidy house! Its not that I am lazy or scruffy, but I have so much stuff, boarding on being a hoarder.

Can you tell I like leopard print? I made the leopard print cushion covers out of an old bedding and same with the butterfly covers. In the evening this is my domain, sit on here with my laptop. Its an IKEA day bed, much comfier than a normal sofa. I have 2 large underbed storage draws here too which I am always finding things to fill with.

My beautiful tv! with just a small selection of my dvds. This is the horror section, disney, stephen king and a bit of tv. It just looks messy :/

I have sold lots of dvds recently when cash was tight, I had a completely full shelf before, but this is my collection right now, its always growing. I like to have them open but my mum keeps insisting I shut them to make it seem less cluttered. When I start working the kids will have to go through this room to get outside so I will close them then.

My glass cabinet, full of my most rare and expensive things, and its also the home of my Michael Jackson collection and War of The Worlds, had this for many years, think its time for another!

An idol of mine, this is above my sofa, my Marilyn Monroe collection.

And finally:

My sewing machine, it was my mums, I am not that good but I keep practicing, cushion covers are nice and easy dont need to be perfect! I have made a skirt and a blanket, next going to try turning socks into little cuddly toys!

I am definitely going to look at tips from the website http://www.emoov.co.uk/home-staging/ when I start working because this room needs alot of work to try and make it look clutter free!

Fashionista from MUA Custom PPQ Palette

I am in such a good mood right now, thought I would do another post. 

As a hobby, spare time kinda thing, I fill out online surveys, and get paid for it, just got £30 amazon voucher plus £15 yesterday, so I have just gone and spent it all, so excited, I love getting post, even better when I didn't spend any money!

So back to the post, when MUA announced they were selling Fashionista products, I had to check it out, I didn't know the brand previously but I was intrigued by the custom palettes. You pick a palette of 4 or 6 and fill it with eyeshadows, blushers and bronzers of your choice.

I think I am too pale for bronzers but I wanted to try one so I picked one which hopefully wont stand out too much.

I chose the PPQ Limited Edition A/W12 palette because it looks like animal print, and I just love animal print. This might be a geeky thing too, but I absolutely love the look of 3 of my choices, they remind me of planets.

I got Blusher - New York, Bronzer - Rome, Eyeshadow - Icey, Eyeshadow - Trendsetter. I have been wearing the blusher and trendsetter eyeshadow since it arrived, I am not confident enough to do a full picture though, I hate taking my own photo! The blusher is just the right shade for me I think.

 Swatches of them, in the order they are on the palette. It's not as good as seeing them on I know, the last eyeshadow looks more purple on, its a purple/grey with more than just a shimmer, little pieces of glitter, I tried to get a close up of it:

It highlights the pieces of glitter, as best as I could.

The custom palette at the moment is 4 shades for £7 or 6 shades for £10. They are a great size, the lid of the palette is also a mirror, a proper sized one too, when I have more money I will definitely invest in more, especially if they bring out any more limited edition packaging.

The palette on its own is £2! and each individual shade is £1.65, so you can replace them once they run out or fancy a change. 

I am converted, and really pleased with this, I think I am definitely going to get more of the mosaic eyeshadow, I just love how they look.

Have you made a custom palette? Link me and I will check it out :D

Fashionista from MUA Nail Polish: Mystical Dragon

 Been a while since I wrote a post, not sure why, just been a bit busy I guess.

I made an order for the new Fashionista products on the MUA website last week, a nail polish and a custom palette, which I shall review another day.

This nail polish just stood out for me. Even on the tiny little display imagine. It reminds me of something Disney.

 Mystical Dragon is so blue! It is one coat layered over Barry M Gelly in Guava, because it was a bit thin so might not be as bright on it own, but I just cant get over how amazing it looks. Its so glittery! Without the pain of having to remove a glitter nail polish. Its lasting really well too, almost a week and its only chipped a little bit at the edge, and I am always busy.

You can get the new Fashionista range online at the MUA Store, the nail polishes cost £3 each.

Next post will be a review of the custom palette I ordered, very impressed!

Have you tried any of the new range yet?

Mini Bourjois Haul

At the moment Bourjois is 3 for 2 in superdrug, and with 3 items you get a free pair of sunglasses! I just couldn't resist.

 I have never bought anything from Bourjois before, its a little bit expensive for me, when I used to work at next, there was a Bourjois stand and I was always looking at it, I loved the little pots and the shape of the polish bottles, but I still never bought anything. I have been looking at, and needing the So Matt top coat for so long, and my current nail polish remover is awful.

It was the sunglasses that really sold it for me, I needed some, even though the sun seems to have disappeared.

I have never enjoyed a nail polish remover more than this. Theres a little foam pad with a hole in the middle, you just put your finger, twist and voila! The nail polish is gone, I haven't tried it on glitter yet but I have read that it does work. This cost £4.99 and was my free item. Oh also it smells so nice! Not from the bottle, but once its on the nails you can smell the red berries, and the scent lasts.

My little superdrug doesn't have many good nail polish colours to choose from, this is what stood out the most for me. So Laque in Amande Défilé. Its a really nice mint green, but I was disappointed that it took 3 coats! The first two were so patchy, I think because it cost more than my usual nail polish at £5.99, I expected good coverage. Its supposed to last 10 days, we shall see! 

And here is what I have been after the most! It was the last one in the shop, So Matt Top Coat. I cannot wait to try this out on every polish that I own, I just love the matte effect. This is just one coat, and I don't know if its because its a higher priced polish but it feels so smooth! More smooth than I have ever felt a nail polish to be. This cost £5.99 also.

So there is my mini haul and first ever Bourjois purchase!

Barry M Confetti Swatch Part 1: Dolly Mixture and Marshmallow

I bought these a while ago now, I think superdrug put them out earlier than they were supposed to be, it was during 3 for 2 so I thought I should buy them. 

They weren't the original ones I wanted, they should be available on Tuesday.

Marshmallow consists of pink strands, it isn't my favourite. Dolly Mixture is great though, its a mix of orange, yellow, blue and pink.

The bottles are amazing, I love the lids. I have put one coat of confetti over the Limited Edition summer paints. You can layer it over colours or you can just use it on its own, but it would take quite a few coats, and removal would be a bit hard! Marshmallow doesn't really work with green it seems to have changed colour, but I really love Dolly Mixture over this pink, in fact I cant wait to try it over other colours, even if removing it is a pain.

Hopefully this is close enough to get a good look, I will have to try Marshmallow over a white or pink to see if it will show up better.

Confetti effect is available at Boots, Superdrug and Barry M online for £3.99 each. Next week I will be buying the green and blue

Have you tried any yet?

17 Seventeen Holographic Nail Polish

Only the other day when I was not so impressed with a China Glaze holo I was saying that there needs to be more affordable holos out there, lo and behold I go to Boots and the Seventeen range had one! 

At only £3.99 its the perfect price, had to pick it up right away.

This is actually my favourite holo so far. I prefer it to china glaze and to the GOSH holographic heroes, which is only made to last 24 hours, this lasts a few days before chipping. I used 2 coats to cover the nail, and no topcoat, using a top coat can ruin the effect. Now we finally have sun, its time to bring out the holo nail polish. I love it. The gorgeous rainbow effect it has, I can't stop looking at my nails when I have it on.

I hope I have captured it well. The photo below is what it looks like it normal light, just a nice glittery/metallic silver:

I really really hope 17 bring out some more colours in the holo range, I will definitely buy them all.

You can purchase it in store and online.

Barry M Limited Edition Summer Nail Polish

As soon as I saw Barry M release these on facebook I knew I had to have them.

In order to get the new Limited Edition nail polish, you are supposed to spend £6 on Barry M and get 1 free, I however, owning all the nail polish already just bought them outright for £3.99.

Honestly, I don't think I would have wanted them so much if it wasn't for the amazing lids! Theres nothing special about them, they're just a neon pink and a neon green nail polish.

I am impressed with the colours, I don't have a green that shade, and I think they work well together. It took 3 coats to cover the nail and the green could do with one more, so next time I would probably use white as a base. They didn't take too long to dry so it wasn't bad.

I haven't used a top coat, they have a little bit of a shine to them, and its not too much, I definitely wouldn't use one. I am still after for a matte top coat, and would like to try these with it when I finally get one.

I do love it when Barry M release limited edition nail polish, I am still kicking myself I didn't pick up the gold and pink at christmas last year.

You can only get these from Superdrug.

Are you going to get the limited edition summer ones?

Barry M Summer Gelly Paint: Guava, Key Lime and Blue Grape

Today I went to spend my £35 love to shop vouchers that I got for a recent trip to Dunham Massey. Its so much nicer spending money that isn't yours, not as much guilt involved 

I bought loads from superdrug and boots. My local superdrug has the new confetti in (reviews to come soon) but not the gelly, but the superdrug in the Arndale has the new gelly in, and I am sure they are both out early but I'm not complaining.

It was really annoying, sat in the garden to paint my nails, and every time I finished and ready to take photos, the sun went in! Plus a curious 2 year old wanting to know what I was doing and wanting to help. 

This is one of the first shades that stood out for me, Key Lime, a brilliant bright lime green. The polish itself is quite thick, I could almost get away with one coat, but there were a few streaks so a thin second coat sorted it out. They take slightly longer to dry than normal nail polishes, but nothing too bad.

This was the other colour that I absolutely had to have. Guava is a bright teal, a perfect summery colour, if the sun could just last a bit longer than 2 days at a time. This was also quite thick and applied the same as Key Lime. This is my favourite out of the new summer range.

And finally we have Blue Grape. Originally I was only interested in getting the previous two shades but when I saw a review for this I had to have it, I don't have such a bold blue in my collection. The consistency was thinner than the others, but still was opaque in two coats. I think it also has more of a gloss than the others. 

I am so pleased with these 3 that I think I may get the other 2 out of the collection, and I am not usually one for buying all the gelly paints.

They retail at £3.99 and you can buy them at Boots, Superdrug and Barry M. 

Sadly the superdrug 3 for 2 ends this weekend, also thankfully, I won't be tempted to buy as much until it comes back!

Have you got any of the new gelly paints yet?