The White Nail

 In case you haven't guessed it by now, a glossy white nail one of my all time favourites. It looks so chic and is easier to pull off than you'd think - even for us pale girls! It's hard to find a good one though as they can be quite sheer, meaning you have to apply several layers to get even close to the desired look. 

Don't get too disheartened though.. "White Hot Love" from Rimmel's  60 second super shine collection is the shiniest and most opaque white polish I have ever come across. Two thin coats of this polish and you are good to go, no top coat required! (I'm not wearing any in these photos and look at the gorgeous glossy finish).
As for longevity, I get a good 3-4 days chip free without the use of any top coat. With my beloved seche-vite, I get a weeks wear easily.

My dotted accent nail is made up of three shades from the Rimmel London x Rita Ora 60 second super shine collection using a dotter from Penneys.
Taupe - 'Rain Rain go away'
Peach - 'Peachella'
Red - 'Glaston Berry'

Priced at a mere €4.49 a piece I think it's safe to say I'll have the entire collection before long!

Venturing into the world of Nail Art | A Journey

  If you've been following the blog for a while you'll know that there is nothing I love more than a fresh manicure. I've been getting my nails done religiously for almost three years now and I've blogged about my experiences with gel polishes and brisa lite in the past. I was never any good at painting my own nails (my early instagram snaps are all the proof you need) so I just gave up trying, until recently that is. Wet polishes have really upped their game and I've always wanted to try my hand at nail art so that's exactly what I've been doing.. 

I've invested in dozens of polishes and tools and I'm excited to play with them and share my thoughts with you. 

I'm a complete amateur but my daisies are coming along nicely if I may say so myself. Over the next few weeks I'll be documenting my journey and reviewing different brands and polishes etc. 

So stay tuned! Stripes I'm coming for you next..

MaxFactor Creme Puff Blush | Review

 

Left to Right: 10 Nude Mauve, 30 Gorgeous Berries, 25 Alluring Rose

MaxFactor is not a brand that is widely talked about in the blogosphere - until recently that is. The brand blew up with the Creme Puff Blush Launch and rightly so. They are luminous, lightweight baked blushes, finely milled and buttery to the touch. They have been compared time and time again to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush range - I own one of these, mood exposure and it is beautiful if not a little bit expensive for what it is. I could sit here and do the same but in all honesty I don't think it would be fair to Hourglass. If I had my time over again, I'd skip the Hourglass blush and pick up the entire MaxFactor range instead.
They are complexion enhancing highlight-blush hybrids, adding a pop of colour and the most beautiful luminous glow to the cheeks. They are packed full of pigment (gorgeous berries especially) and blend like an absolute dream. 

Left to Right: 10 Nude Mauve, 30 Gorgeous Berries, 25 Alluring Rose

10 Nude Mauve - Of the three shades I currently own, this is my favourite. It's a gorgeous neutral slightly peachy shade. I know for a fact it's going to be my go-to shade for the summer as it won't take away from from a bright lip. It just adds a slight wash of colour to the cheeks and an almost air-brushed highlight - I looooove it!!

30 Gorgeous Berries - This is the deepest shade in the collection and best suited in my opinion for the autumn/winter months paired with an dark lip and a neutral eye. It is beautiful but uber pigmented so be careful not to over do it.

25 Alluring Rose - Another gorgeous summer shade, a peachy bronze that will add warmth to the complexion, I would go so far as to say you could use it as a contour colour for a sun-kissed glow!

It isn't often I that I find myself wanting to own all of the shades available in a collection. In fact it never happens, but there is a first time for everything.. At €11.49 a piece, the other 3 shades will be mine!

Florabotanica by Balenciaga

My boots advantage card points have been burning a hole in my pocket recently, they're an excuse to splurge without actually having to spend anything. Florabotanica has been in the back of my mind for ages and decided it was high time to try it. I mean what says spring more than a floral scent? I had enough points saved to treat myself to a 50ml of the EDP (normally €67.50). 

Based on a garden filled with beautiful, strange and dangerous flowers - Everything about this perfume lures you in. The insanely beautiful packaging was designed by Nicolas Ghesquieres, the bottle is simple yet so striking. Photograph's really don't do it any justice. The fragrance itself is intoxicating, completely different to my usual vanilla based scents. AND the campaign is fronted by actress Kristen Stewart, one of my ultimate girl crushes.

It starts out slightly bitter, citrusy cut with wild mint but quickly settles into a light floral musk with the emphasis on the rose note. The rose in this instance is thorny and not that headache inducing powdery scent in most floral fragrances. The muskier notes are a combination of white amber, vertiver root and hemp leaves. 

Florabotanica is modern, edgy rose and I love it. 

I picked mine up here.