Wednesday 29 January 2014

Everybody loves a bit of Chanel



For a rather long while, Chanel makeup was a very distant dream to me; one that it felt like stars on the sky, I can see it and admire about how sparkly and beautiful they are but never have been able to touch and own it.

The fantasy ended just over a year ago when I took the plunge to try out the Vitalumiere Aqua foundation.

Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation remains as one of my favourite foundations all times.  Vitalumiere Aqua is a watery based foundation, you need to shake the bottle before squeezing out the lovely product out.  Dry skin loves this formulation, it hydrates and provides a light to medium coverage.


Owning a healthy collection of high end nail polishes always makes me faint, purely because of the insanely high price tag, when you can get some good quality nail products with a fraction of the price.  However that didn't stop me from wanting not one but two Le Vernis Nail Colour by Chanel.  I have these in #569 Emprise which is a peachy nude colour, with very fine shimmer that runs through it.  #18 Rouge Noir is a classic dark forest (burgundy) that of the line.  The formulations are pretty long lasting and the application is very easy, too.

Have you tried any mascaras by Chanel?  I had this one Sublime de Chanel Waterproof Length and Curl Mascara  .  I usually get on with plastic bristle brush but sadly I didn't with Chanel's.  I didn't find it either lengthened or curled my lashes..... I've heard too many people said that mascaras normally perform better from the drugstore range... and I think they may be right!


Do you take notice of other ladies as they take their lippies out from their handbags and wondered what lip products do they use?  I certainly do and I always find ladies who own a Chanel lipstick has got taste...  So it's a no brainer I got myself a Chanel lipstick, this one Rouge Coco Shine in #46 Liberte.  Its hydrating formula is so good for the dry lips, sometimes I can even get away without having to prep my lips before applying this.  The slim packaging is very handy, too especially to fit it in a clutch when you struggle with space.  After being impressed by Rouge Coco Shine, I went for the Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in #165.  This is by far my favourite lip gloss at all times.  It gives such a glossy finish to my lips whilst it is not sticky at all.... I wore it in extremely windy days and being windswept a few times but the lip gloss on my lips have not caught my hair; which is a good sign for a lip gloss!


My petite Chanel makeup collection wouldn't be completed without a blusher or two.  Joues Contraste Powder Blush in #74 Ultra Rose is a very bright rose pink on the pan, light handed is highly required!  I must say I didn't use it often enough as I have to be honest I didn't find this powder blusher perform as well as others that I have.  It's a little too pigmented for my liking and it's not the easiest blusher to blend so I often end up looking like a clown whenever I have this on no matter how careful and light handed I am.....  On the other hand, Le Blush Creme De Chanel in #64 Inspiration.  I found myself constantly reaching out for this pale pink cream blusher.  It goes with almost any makeup look that I might be wearing and works especially fabulously with smokey eyes.

Finally, I was lucky enough to be sent one of Chanel's latest launches - CC Cream in #12 Beige Rose.  This CC Cream in beige rose is a special formula for Asian ladies which is supposed to give a slightly pinky finish to give that healthy glowing look.  Unfortunately I have mixed views about it after one use (first impression).  When I had it first applied on my face using my fingertips, I found that the product clanged onto some of my dry patches on my face, e.g. round my nose.  I have to say it did give quite a flawless complexion overall and it appeared quite matte.  I wouldn't recommend this for dry skinned girls!

I hope you liked my little Chanel makeup collection!  Have you used any of these?  Which Chanel products would you recommend to me?

Saturday 25 January 2014

Nail Polish Dupe: Dior vs Kiko


Who doesn't love a bit of extravagant nail polish?  But every time when I make a purchase of a nail polish which costs more than a tenner, my heart sinks and would just go back to a drugstore nail polish the following time.

The other day, I struggled to establish a connection with any of the nail polishes that I have, aka. didn't know which colour to wear.  I decided to pick a nude shade, and one that I haven't worn in a while.


I picked the nail lacquer by Kiko in the shade #220 Satin Beige.  I remembered I fell in love with it the first time I applied it - a beige/ nude colour that flatters my slightly olive skin tone on my hands, and at the same time it's got some very fine glitter that runs through it.


It also dries quick and lasts well.  I normally apply 2-3 coats to get that more opaque finish (to my taste) but less sometimes can be more if you want a more sheer finish.


The finish is natural, elegant and very easy to wear and it goes with any outfits that you are carrying that day.  One of the highest quality nail polishes I have tried and with that price tag (£3.50), it really cannot go wrong.



As I was wearing it, it reminded me instantly of the Diorific Vernis Nail Polish by Dior that I purchased before Christmas.  I was attracted by the very cute golden vintage rounded bottle.  I picked #318 Frimas which is a nude shade.




Similar to Kiko's, Diorific in Frimas has some really fine glitters that run through it which gives a really subtle sparkly finish when painted on the nails - enough to take you through from day into the evening!

Kiko's satin beige has more of an orange undertone whereas Diorific Frimas has a more greyish pink to the nude shade.  Strictly speaking the colours are identical but I dare you, once you tried both; you would be like me, to be reminded of either when using one of these.

How about trying both or one of these dependent on your budget?

Kiko Nail Lacquer  £3.50

Diorific Vernis nail polish by Dior  £20.00

Thursday 23 January 2014

Cynthy and a chocolate shower



Who doesn't like eating chocolate?  But did you ever want chocolate-scented skin?  If you do, please read on.

This Chocolate Creamy Body Wash comes from the Sephora Collection Creamy Body Wash range which I bought in Paris in the summer.  A reminder of what I bought in Paris you can visit here and here.

I was intrigued when I first saw this then as I glanced acrossed the shelf, this range also offers scent such as Green Tea.

As you open the cap of the tube, there is an intense fragrance of chocolate sends to my nostril which 'woke me up' a little bit.  The creamy texture this body wash made the product felt very luxury and really rather refreshing!  The pale brown colour makes you think you are truly showered with melted silky chocolate.

Compared with other body wash products, this one is very moisturising which I didn't feel the need to be obliged with the application of a body cream after a shower.  Does the chocolate scent linger on the skin afterwards?  Not really.  But does it matter?  No, not for me at least.  I actually would prefer it didn't make me skin smelling like a bar of chocolate.

I wondered if this could be a diet-fix solution for someone who craves for chocolate?  If that fails, this would certainly be a very sexy gift comes Valentine's day or Wedding Anniversary.

Sunday 19 January 2014

2013 Creme De La Mer Awards: Makeup Part 2



If you have missed Part 1 of the 2013 Creme De La Mer Awards, Makeup, you can click here to reveal which products have made the cut!


The Best Bronzer
As I became a little more adventurous with my makeup, I found myself slowly picking up bronzers to sweep over my face.  I don't use bronzers to add colours to my face to create that sun-kissed look but I like to use it to give my face a little structure that it needs, mainly to give it some cheek-bones.



Nars Laguna has immediately made it to my number one bronzer's favourite, even though I only started using it back in November (so, there, I cheated a little bit).

I tried a few others such as Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder which I like as it's quite a light bronzing colour so I can build it up to however much I like it to be.  But nothing beats Laguna, lightly dab on the pan with an angle brush, a few sweeps and strokes on the face, I can see my cheek bones looking more prominent. 

The Best Highlighter




The best highlighter ever has to be the highlighting shade from the Chantecaille Coral Reef Palette.  As you can see I have so hit pan on this, and it's been really truly well loved by me.

It's not shimmery at all which I discovered I like the best in a highlighter.  Come on, you don't want to look like a disco ball at the end of the day, do ya?  I don't think Chantecaille does this shade in a single shadow - I'm currently rationing this and am searching for the next best thing.

The Best Blusher(s)




This has got to be my most category of makeup to choose just ONE winner.  Blusher is my number one favourite makeup product, and for me to have to choose just one is harder than completing an university degree!  So, I'm going to cheat here, I'll choose one powder blusher, and a creamy one.

The Best Cream Blusher goes to...... Chanel Le Blush Creme De Chanel Cream Blush.  


I have this in the colour, Inspiron which is a baby pink shade.  I love that it's so versatile that it goes with absolutely every looks that I tried to pull - an au natural or a little more daring smokey eye looks.  It's not the most pigmented cream blush on the market but that's good, because I can build it up slowly to the intensity of colour that I like.  I like to apply this using a Real Techniques' Stippling Brush.

The Best Powder Blusher goes to.......Charlotte Tilbury's Cheek to Chic Blusher, which I have it in the colour Love is the drug.  


I love the dark chocolate brown coloured packaging, and it's so compact as well.  The mirror that comes with it made it a very handy mirror case, too if you need it on the go.  This blusher is composed of two shades of colour which is rather innoative!  The outer circle is a paler pink which you swirl it round with your favourite blusher brush to give your cheek a 'base colour', if you want to intensify the look, then you dab your brush in the inner circle and there you have it, 'pop' your cheek with this brighter and darker shade.  Even though I don't use this on a daily basis, I save it for special occasions, especially for the evening; or when I know I'll be out all day as the colour stays put pretty well.

The Best Eyebrow Pencil




Soap & Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil this stuff is good, ya know what I'm saying?  This is my second pencil and I'm still loving it.  It's definitely my staple eyebrow pencil, I go back to it after having tried out others.  It's such a false-proof eyebrow pencil, I cannot imagine how anyone's brows would go wrong if they use this.

The Best Lip Product

I'm not an adventurous person when it comes to lip products, contradictory though, I own more than 20 lip products.  I'm more of a fan of the nude, peachy shades, 'my lips but better' shades are the colours that I would normally go for.   Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector has made the cut. 



Here's why, I love love love how hydrating it is for my very dry, chapped and sometimes flaky lips (no matter how much I care about them - scrub and moisturise).  Whilst this lip perfector hydrates my lips, they add a wave of light pink colour (my lips but better colour that I talked about like 5 seconds ago).  It smells so nice as well, like a sweet marshmallow scents.  All in all, it ticks ALL the boxes for me.

Thank you so much for staying tuned with me till the end of the Makeup Awards.  The Skincare and Nails awards will be to follow..... come back to share my favourites soon.


Friday 17 January 2014

2013 Creme De La Mer Awards: Makeup Part 1


2013 has been a very exciting beauty year for myself.  It's a year when I made the most discoveries in the beauty world with my sister @forksandbrushes.

I want to take this opportunity to make a little award ceremony here on my blog, to share with you some of the best bits I've tried in makeup (part 1 and 2), skincare and nail products.


This 1 of a part 2 makeup post will all be dedicated to makeup products.

The Best Base Product(s)

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra light Foundation




If you have just started playing around makeup products and are lucky enough to have a bit more money to spend, you have to try this foundation.  It's the first high end beauty product I purchased.  It's ever since become my go-to, fail-safe foundation.  I like the water-based texture that it's very hydrating to the skin, which is great for anyone who has dry skin.  It gives such a sheer finish that it makes your skin glow and look very healthy and dewy.  It also stays put well and doesn't oxidise as the day goes.  This will definitely be on my re-purchase list.


The Best Concealer

For under eye areas: This has to be RMS Beauty 'Un' Cover-up concealer.


This has got to be the best concealer I have ever tried!  I started hearing about the brand RMS beauty at the beginning of 2013 but it wasn't until in the summer I bought products from RMS Beauty from an Organic Natural Beauty Product shop called Being Content (a hidden gem in London).  This concealer is an extremely light creamy texture in a pot.  You can definitely build up the coverage but blending more or less of the product but it would never end up looking cakey.  It's fantastic for the under eye areas because it brightens up the skin.  It can also be built up and used as a foundation.

For spots and blemishes: Laura Mercier Undercover pot


Excuse the state of my pot - it goes to show how well loved it's been!


At the end of 2012, I started making baby steps in exploring the beauty world.  Laura Mercier Undercover pot was one of the first high end beauty products that I decided to try after hearing only positive reviews about it.  It continued to sail through and became a firmed favourite of staple products in my beauty drawer all through 2013.  I exhausted the bit which was used to cover up under eye bags and have loved it.  Until the second half of 2013, the bit which is used as blemish concealer has become my best companion.  It's creamy in texture so it blends extremely well to cover up spots/ blemishes.  The powder at the bottom compartment comes in really handy to set the concealer.  When I said set it does exactly what it's meant to do.  My concealer stays put all day long and my spots/ blemishes..... are completely invisible.

The Best Eye Shadow




When every other blogger seems to be raving about how much they love Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream, I tried but didn't connect with the beaut of it.  I, on the other hand have fallen firmly in love with L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow.  They come in the form of pressed powder pigments and all shades are shimmery but no OTT which I like to use as a day-time look.  Sometimes when I'm lazy or in a hurry, I like to just use my 4th fingers to sweep these across my eyelids.  When I feel fussy and can afford to take my time to do my makeup, I like to use Real Techniques' duo-fiber brush to blend it all over my eye lids.  You don't need to be an expert to apply this onto your eyes, the shadow does the job itself once it touches your eyes, it sounds like magic but it really is like that.  By using just one colour makes you look like you've spent ages to blend blend blend a few different shades.  L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow, have you tried any of it?

The Best Eye Shadow Quad

Charlotte Tilbury's Colour-Coded Eyeshadow Palette



The launch of CT's makeup range was probably one of the most exciting things happened in the year of 2013, for the beauty world and for me as a beauty blogger.  I was there on the very day when Charlotte launched her makeup range in Selfridges.  There was a real buzz at her beauty counter, and there were just so much makeup products to choose from.  I'm so glad I picked up her Colour-Coded Eyeshadow Palette in Dolci Vita.  I have been using it on a weekly basis, if not daily.  It is that good.

You can use all 4 shades to create the look that you want.  For me, I found myself reaching glittery shade the post.  It has a sheer pale brown undertone to this glitter, I like to use my 4th finger to press this powder over my eyelids, either on its own or over an eye makeup that I will have done.   

The Best Eyeliner



I love me some eyeliners to frame my eyes to make them look bigger, brighter and rounder.  Hands down Kiko Precision Eye Pencil is by far the best eye pencil on the market.  I have switched from lining my eyes using black to brown to give a less harsh finish to my eye makeup.  Kiko eye pencil is soft, so it makes drawing the lines very easy, great for beginners.  Although the pencil is soft, it doesn't need to be sharpened often that the tip of the pencil is still pointed enough to draw you the perfect liners that you are after. Since Kiko is not available in Hong Kong, I have already stocked up on an extra eye pencil!

The Best Mascara

Max Factor Clump Defy Waterproof Mascara




As someone who has very short eyelashes, I am the first to admit that it's very difficult to settle for one mascara that fits the bill all round.  Not only are my lashes short, they are quite sparse and naturally not curly... *sobbing*....

In my short journey of trying over 10 mascaras in the year of 2013, I stumbled across Max Factor Clump Defy Waterproof Mascara.  The plasticky bristle style brush, with a slight curl wand seems to do some magical tricks to my eyelashes.  Of course I also have to rely on my Shu Uemura x Karl Lagerfeld eyelash curler to do some necessary prep but a few coats of this mascara, my eyes are opened up beautifully - curled up, lengthened and looking a lot more voluminous.  I also heard that non-waterproof mascaras are better to hold the curls in eye lashes, I know I'll give the non-waterproof version a go in the near future.

Have you used any of these products mentioned?  Are any of these also your favourite of 2013?

Stay tuned for Part 2 Makeup of the 2013 Creme De La Mer Awards,


Tuesday 14 January 2014

New In: D&G Makup Haul



Fans of Dolce & Gabana in Hong Kong (and in the pacific rim regions), it's about time you should get excited about its launch of make up.

D&G and makeup, you might frown?  That was exactly my reaction when I learnt that D&G does makeup.  I first came across its advertisement of mascara on a magazine, I wondered about it but didn't take action to search for it..... Until I walk passed its counter inside Harvey Nichols (Pacific Place, Admiralty), Hong Kong in Oct 2013.  I revisited the counter twice since then, and it wasn't until recently when me and my sister (@forksandbrushes) made a purposeful trip there and we ended up both hands full of D&G makeup goodies!

Facts of D&G makeup:

D&G makeup line was first launched in 2009 in Italy where the brand originally comes from.  They are also available in the Big Apple in the past few years but it didn't make it to the Pacific Rim until around September 2013.  I've also been told that Hong Kong is the first place in the Asia Region that has D&G makeup line available.  

Forgive my ignorant and not keeping up with the market but it wasn't until I started writing this post I realised that Harrods, UK also has D&G makeup available! 

First up is the mascara I have been wanting to try and have remembered since my first encounter with D&G makeup - from the magazine advertisement.  My another excuse for adding another mascara to my current stash of mascaras is because many of my mascaras in my collection will soon be expired!



I picked up the PassionEye Mascara which claims to curl and volumise.  It comes with the most glamorous gold tube-like packaging.  The plastic bristle crescent-shaped  wand reminded me of my all time favourite Max Factor's Clump Defy Mascara.   But from the trial that I had at the counter, I was already impressed by it.  Without prior curling my lashes with an eyelash curler, my lashes were curled and volumised; and it didn't smudge on me either (after wearing it for 8+hours).  For £26, it is definitely one of the most expensive mascaras out there in the market.  I will continue to give it a good try and report back!

I was going to stop there and only picked up one thing at a time to try but the temptation came when the beauty consultant told us that if we spent HK$900 or over, we would get a free gift, which is this extremely attractive and elegant red jewel mirror case...... OMG - so between me and @forksandbrushes, we bought a few more things (including a present for our mom for mother's day! how organised are we!)



This red jewel mirror case came with a velvet pouch - lush!  The red jewel on the surface of the mirror case just made this item a very unique one, how could we resist this!  This will definitely become a centre piece on my dressing table from now on!



Because of the desire to get the lux mirror case each, I also picked up the Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipstick #220 (Devotion).  It is a pretty darker shade pink - my lips but better colour lipstick. This lipstick is a bit like a Chocolate Fondue, as it comes with a transparent jelly look-alike centre which contains coconut oil.  The idea is that it hydrates your lips whilst it gives colour to them.  I love anything that helps to keep my skin and lips hydrated!



Finally, as a welcome gift to the purchase of D&G makeup, we were each given a perfume miniature.  The key isn't about the perfume but what excited us was the burgundy velvet little box that holds the perfume.



D&G makeup feels extremely luxury and I really look forward to using all the things I bought!

Have you tried any makeup by D&G?

Saturday 11 January 2014

New Additions: Statement Necklaces

In the past year I have become a little obsessed with wearing statement necklaces, and I'm always on the hunt for new and special ones to add to my collection.  My love for statement necklaces can first be traced back here.


I like to pair statement necklaces with plain coloured tops/ clothing as they make my outfits pop.  They are great for lazy days when I don't know what clothes to wear, whilst they also make me stand out from the crowd, in a subtle way even though my statement necklaces help me to make a fashion statement.... ya know what I meant?

In Hong Kong, there are so many varied sizes of boutiques, chained or independent; local, western, J- or K- styles (Japanese/ Korean)..... the choices are endless....

Maple, or now has been rebranded as isai; I believe it's a local chained fashion stores in Hong Kong.  They sell everything from shoes, clothing to accessories like necklaces, earrings and handbags, etc.  I like to go in there every now and then to check out accessories as they are abundantly available.



I spotted this blue (also available in black) necklace and instantly fell in love with it.  I don't normally go for this string type of necklace but the materials felt really sturdy and I thought it would last so I gave it a try.  


The diamond shaped stones are also very eye-catching, each of them are surrounded by blue stones which made it very elegant.  The necklace isn't heavy either so there's no problem to wear it all day long. I like to team this up with blue colour tone tops but I think it would go with other plain coloured clothes, too.

Zara is my go-to shop for many of my outfits and necklaces.  I love this shop even more after I move to Hong Kong.  The prices are really reasonable, and I like how sophisticated the styles are; most pieces from Zara are timeless, too which made it even more of a bargain!

I am not a gold-wearer but when I saw this necklace, I stopped and started touching and matching it on my neck-area, and thought this would be a classic piece to keep.



When I first grabbed it and held it on my hands, it felt rather heavy but when I wore it on my neck, I couldn't feel the weight (I could but it wasn't weighing me down). The gold platted chain style, tweeded with black leather as the main part of the necklace add a bit of a taste rock chic feel to my outfit but still keeping things sophisticated.



Then it was the Winter sale in Zara that made me to buy another gorgeous necklace!



Well, I have been eyeing on this for absolutely ages but it was slightly on the pricier side, with the sale (knocked $100 off from the original price so I purchased this at $299, approx. 23) there's no excuse to hold up!



This glass looking necklace is gorgeous I'm sure you would agree with me.  I like how plain the colour looks but the flower that connected the necklace made it so girly.  When I wore it on my neck, it actually sparkled and caught peoples' eye-sights.  It feels rather chunky on the hands but wearing it on the neck, it just felt like a piece of cloud!  I adore this so much!

Are you a fan of statement necklaces?  Or do you go for minimal jeweleries?



Friday 10 January 2014

Nails nails, by Cyber Color


I took my time to explore the beauty world in Hong Kong because there are simply wayyyyy too many brands available, in every beauty shops.  I have been overwhelmed.

Finally, I felt like I've reached a break-through - I discovered a brand, Cyber Colors which I am growing some positively feelings about it!  The brand was created in 1998, however I can't quite find the exact information of where it was originally created in.  On their products they say Made In France, assuming they might have been started in France?  This brand is exclusively available in Sasa (the Sephora equivalent in the US).

I don't think I have tried any of its products before but their nail products are the first in their line that I tried, and absolutely fell in love with.


01 - ECO Glossy Gel Look If you are looking for a quick fix to a gel nail finish, this is THE ONE to get.   Not only does it give a gel nail look, it also prevents nails from chipping. One coat is enough to make them look like gel but if your nails to look even more shinier, go for 2 coats!  People say Sache Vite's quick dry top coat gives the best gel nail finish, to me, Cyber Colors glossy gel look top coat beats down by miles!  I have received quite a few compliments by strangers and friends!

02 - Quick Dry Coat Unlike other quick dry top coat that I used, this is an oil-based quick dry coat polish.  It does wonder to saving time when you have this on hand!

03 - ECO Oxygen Base Coat It's a pale peachy coloured milky base coat.  It prevents nails from discolouring, turning yellow or chipping.  Don't worry about the colour, once it's applied onto the nails, it dries clear.

The combination of the three will give you the perfect looking nails you are after!  What's more impressive is that Cyber Color's nail polishes are environmentally friendly, free from petroleum or any other chemical products.

Have you tried products by Cyber Color?  I'm definitely going to explore into other products by Cyber Color!

Wednesday 8 January 2014

Product Review: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Beauty sponge, love it or hate it?

I love a good sponge but I have to admit that before I gave it a try I was skeptical about it.  I did a full review on the original Beauty Blender which you can click here to have a little read.

Now that I know why a sponge can be such a great partner when you are looking for a flawless finish. When Real Techniques launched its Miracle Complexion Sponge a few months back, I was so excited to hunt this down and gave it a whirl, plus I am a loyal fan to RT's makeup brushes, too, so I wouldn't miss it!

First of all, the sponge comes in the usual sturdy packaging, just like other RT's makeup brushes.  The bright orange colour makes the sponge stands out from other beauty sponges on the rack.  Colour is a very personal thing, for me, I'm not an orange kind of girl; I would rather it be a purple/ lilac colour.  But, I should never judge a book by its cover and I'm glad I didn't because this sponge really is quite something!

As I took the sponge out of the packaging, the sponge felt very soft and, spongy.  If I was blind folded, I probably wouldn't be able to feel the difference between RT's sponge and the original Beauty Blender.   I was instantly very impressed by it, as I have experimented with other versions of sponge by other brands but was not satisfied with it, the other sponges were all too hard to squidge which made applying foundations onto my face very difficult.

 RT's miracle complexion sponge provides quite an innovative and cutting edge design to other Beauty Blender's dupe out there.  It has two sides to the sponge, a normal egg-shape with an oval surface, but towards the bottom half of the sponge comes with a slanted surface.

The slanted surface can be used the same way as the oval shape, but it is perfect if you want to target the application of concealer or foundation under the eyes and round the nose areas. 
I have been using this for applying both foundations and concealers, both of which work like a loving married couple with the sponge.  It saves me time from using a concealing brush, so that's a plus point, too!

I don't use any brushes to apply base products but I like to sponge my face when I reach for my all time favourite hourglass veil fluid foundation if I want to look my best; the two combinations work like a dream and always made me a very happy girl!

Application of hourglass veil fluid foundation with RT's miracle complexion sponge


For £5.99, the RT's miracle complexion sponge is miraculously reasonably priced.  I recommend this wholeheartedly, hands on heart 100%.  I think I can safely say that I prefer this to the original Beauty Blender.  

Have you tried any sponge applications before?  Have you tried the original Beauty Blender or are you a fan of the RT's miracle complexion sponge like me?

Monday 6 January 2014

Nail Collection Episode 7: Barry M Nail Paint

From left to right
313 Dusky Mauve, 12 Greenberry, 341 Cappuccino, 338 Silver Multi Glitter
All priced at £2.99 apart from Greenbury at £3.90
I'm sure a lot of you have tried Barry M nail polishes one way or the other.  There hasn't been one single bad thing I have heard about Barry M nail polishes.  I first came across Barry M nails at least a good 4-5 years ago I think.  I remember they started off having a counter in the middle of ground floor in Topshop, Oxford Street.  I was mesmerised by the range of colour Barry M does, as well as the price - I think it cost under £2.99 back in those days.  With inflation and economic crisis all those complicated business - prices haven't changed that much.  The formula and the colour ranges have gone stronger and better which I remain impressed and it's definitely my favourite nail polishes all time!

These are not my only nail polishes from Barry M but over the years I've used up so many bottles and these are what's left now - time to stock up on more colour perhaps?


The one which stands out the most undoubtedly would be the bright mint green colour (Greenberry) and it is from the Gelly Hi Shine line.  It comes in 13 different colours.  I think between me and my sister we own about half of the colours in this line.  It looks extremely bright on my nails so when I don't feel I want to make a statement, I would use it for my toenails!

The other three colours look so natural on my nails, even though 313 Dusky Mauve and 341 Cappuccino are more of a darker shade.  The give a more sophisticated look.  I particularly like Dusky Mauve, whilst it's a Taupe/Dark Brown shade there is a metallic purple/silver colour running through it making this a very special colour.  I get compliment every time when I wear it and no one believes it is from Barry M and it is an inexpensive product, too.  338 Silver Multi Glitter is a fantastic multi-purpose nail polish for wearing it on its own, on top of another nail colour or wearing it on your ring fingers whilst the rest of the nails wear a different colour.

Have you tried any Barry M nail paint?  What's your favourite?