Review: Essie Mirror Metallic Collection

I'm over pastels this Summer already and when I spied the Essie Mirror Metallics Collection on sale, I was unable to resist picking up a few - ahem, the whole 5 piece collection!  Well, what's a girl to do when she can't choose?!

I purchased the collection from eBay as I find Essie, OPI and China Glaze so much cheaper when buying from the US.  I used The Color Elf and shipping and delivery was within a week, perfect for impatient shoppers like me. 

The Mirror Metallics Collection is truly beautiful and contains five eye-catching shades, from left to right:

• Good as Gold - a true gold chrome
• Penny Talk - a gorgeous rose gold
• Nothing Else Metals - a metallic lavender which leans slightly pink
• Blue Rhapsody - a light silvery blue chrome
• No Place Like Chrome - a slightly blue-toned silver, perhaps the least unique colour in the collection, it reminds me a little of tin foil. 

All of the polishes were on the thicker side and I was able to achieve opaquity with only one coat.  As with other metallic polishes, you do have to be wary of brush strokes but as it only requires the one coat, it is much easier to manage.

For me, the stand out shade is Penny Talk, it is so pretty and shimmery and it looks modern and classy.  No Place Like Chrome is probably the shade which is the most dupable and you may already have a similar shade in your collection. 

Verdict

I have long been a fan of Essie's polishes and I am pleased to confirm that they have again succeeded in bringing out a small but coherent collection that I found to be instantly covertable.  Formula and wear time were consistent with other Essie polishes.  Stand out shades are Penny Talk and Blue Rhapsody, but to be fair, if you purchase any of these shades, you are unlikely to be disappointed.  The only negative point for me is that they are only available in full size bottles as I do prefer the mini bottles often released with collections by Essie. 

5/5

Price - £7.99, although you can purchase for around £5 / bottle on US ebay.

Where to Buy - Superdrug, Boots, eBay

NOTD: Essie Chinchilly

A  quick NOTD as I stumbled upon Essie Chinchilly in my stash recently whilst hunting out another polish and remembered just how much I liked it!

I find Chinchilly to be one of those shades which is wearable in all seasons and it pretty much goes with everything.  It is a difficult shade to categorise - a taupey  mushroomy colour with a  hint of brown.  It may have been around for a while but it is one of my favourites and a polish I come back to often.  

Price - £8.50

Where to Buy - Beauty Bay, ASOS

Have you tried Chinchilly?

NOTD Chanel Coco Blue

With Flash

A quick spring NOTD for you today.  I received this a couple of weeks ago from my mum for my birthday and I haven't been able to try it out until now as I've I've only just removed my Shellac.

This is one of Chanel's recent limited edition shades that was released in the Spring with two other blue-hued polishes, Blue Rebel and Blue Boy.  I believe this is the only one of the three that is limited edition.

No flash

I found the colour on the nails to be virtually identical to that in the bottle - a gorgeous pastel blue cream.  The photos seem to show a more vibrant colour similar to China Glaze's For Audrey, but in reality it is much more subdued.  

The polish applies smoothly and evenly and has a similar consistency to other Chanel polishes.  It can be quite runny so you do need to take care when applying, although the wide brush allows for easy, one-stroke painting.  

The photos above show three coats.  I could have managed with two but I found it looked slightly more opaque with three.  I find Chanel polishes to wear very well on me, despite not using a top-coat, and I can easily go for 3-4 days before any chips or tip wear appears.

Verdict

Whilst this may not be a unique shade for many, it is unique to my collection and I always have a fondness for Chanel polishes due to their easy application and great consistency.  A perfect shade for Summer, I suspect I will be wearing this a lot over the next few months.

4/5

Price - £17.50

Where to Buy – Debenhams, Boots, Selfridges, House of Fraser

Shellac Two Weeks On

Two weeks ago, I had my first Shellac manicure (review here).  So how has it fared?  Well I have been pretty impressed with it as there has been no chipping or lifting at all and it still looks just as glossy and bright as when I first had it done.  There is obviously some noticeable regrown at the bottom of the nails and there is a little tip wear, but this can barely be seen unless you take a close look.

So would I have it done again and how does it compare to the Nails Inc Three Week Manicure I tried previously (reviewed here)? Well it is substantially cheaper than the Nails Inc manicure for a start, and it is more widely available.  I did find though that the Nails Inc manicure seemed to be a little more hard wearing and I preferred the wider variety of shades. I found the Shellac shades a little limited with mostly pink and red polishes, although this may be due to the small selection in my salon.

I tend to only have professional manicures for special events or holidays so I think I would probably end up paying the extra with Nails Inc for the wider range of shades and longer wear time.  The complimentary Champagne also helps swing it for me!  However, there are always deals for Shellac with Groupon and other group purchasing sites so it is a much more affordable way to have sophisticated, perfect-looking nails with minimal upkeepon a regular basis.

Have you tried Shellac or Nails Inc's semi-permanent manicures?

Do you prefer these manicures over traditional polish manicures that are not set with  a UV light?

May Hits and Misses

Gosh May whizzed by, I've no idea where it went!  Its time for my hits and misses of the month.

Hits

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - review here 

A fab matte bronzer, especially useful for contouring.  A little goes a long, long way though so be careful otherwise you can look a little 'muddy'!

Maybelline Color Eye Tattoo in Taupe - review here

This has amazing lasting power and performs just as well as cream shadows that are 3 or 4 times the price. I highly recommend you check out the range if you have not already.

Rimmel Volume Flash Max Bold Curves Mascara

I found this unopened in my mascara stash when I couldn't find my usual mascara and I have actually been pleasantly surprised by it.  Its not amazing, but it performs better than my current Bobbi Brown mascara that I have been sorely disappointed by. A review of both the Rimmel and Bobbi Brown will be coming up shortly.

Model's Own Tropical Sun - review here

Such a gorgeous shade that glimmers and sparkles in the sunlight.  I'm currently wearing it on my toes and it goes really well with my gladiator sandals!

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Butter - review here

This scent just screams Summer to me and I find it so clean and refreshing.  It is also very soothing on my parched skin and absorbs almost instantly.  I love all the Body Butters I've tried but this is currently my favourite!

Misses

There have been no real misses this month, although I have been rather disappointed with the Davines Nou Nou Illuminating Shampoo - review here.  

Its not particularly bad and it does cleanse my hair but I think I just expected more of it, and really, it is no different from a basic £2 shampoo you would purchase in Boots.

What are your favourites this month?

is there anything you have been disappointed by?

Shellac Manicure in Purple Purple

A wee while ago, I won a giveaway on the lovely Annabella's blog Skin Scrubs for a £50 Wahanda voucher!  As I've been really busy recently, I hadn't had a chance to choose anything but with my birthday fast approaching (30, eeek!), and several nights out and activities planned for the week, I thought it was a good chance to have a Shellac manicure so I wouldn't have to worry about chipping my polish.

I've previously tried Nail's Inc's 3 week manicure (review here), but have never tried Shellac before, despite it probably being the most popular of the permanent manicures.  I went for the shade Purple Purple, which is a gorgeous blue / purple colour with an almost pearlescent sheen to it.  

The photos were taken in direct sunlight and seem to look more blue than purple, but I can assure you there is certainly a large amount of purple present.  These photos were actually taken four days after the manicure and it still looks perfect so I am confident my manicure will withstand my week of partying! 

Have you tried Shellac before? 

 

April's Hits and Misses

I know I am ever so late with these, but I actually did write this post a couple of weeks ago - its just been hiding in my drafts!  This month, I've fallen in love with a few new products and rediscovered a couple of old favourites.

KMS Quick Blow Dry Spray

I discovered this through the now defunct Carmine box and its become a staple of my blow dry routine.  I'm not going to say too much about it as there will be a review coming up this week, but suffice to say, I have been very impressed.

Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom and Honey Cologne

This is so fresh and summery and feels very light, making it the perfect daytime perfume for warmer days.  It is sweet but not cloyingly so and lasts throughout most of the day for me.  I've been wearing it constantly and have had quite a few compliments on it!

Nars Orgasm Blush

This is much-loved as you can probably see!  Before I was properly into makeup, this was the only blush I owned and I wore it every day.  I've had this one for about three years and, although I now have lots of other blushes in my collection, this is always the one that I reach for if I am unsure about which blush to wear with a look.  It really does go with anything!

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti

 

I'm jumping on the Lip Butter bandwagon here but it is totally justified with this colour!  I reviewed it here, along with Lollipop and Creme Brule and although I adore all three shades I own, this tangerine is so flattering and just screams Summer.  

Dr Hauschka Facial Toner

I reviewed this last week here as part of the Dr Hauschka Cleansing Ritual and for me, this was the stand out product.  Refreshing and cooling, helping to close my pores after I've cleansed, I have been really enjoying using this toner on a  daily basis.  I never really understood the need for a toner before, and whilst I wouldn't say it is an essential part of your beauty routine, it is a nice addition and it has certainly left me skin feeling a lot softer as of late.

And now, over to this month's misses...

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy - review here

 

'Chiptastic' is probably the best way to describe this polish!  It took several coats, applied streaky and the formula was very difficult to control, and after the time and concentration I took to apply it, it chipped the following day!  Love the colour but it is very high maintenance!

Alpha-H Handcream - review here

 

I think I may have been expecting miracles with this handcream for the price I paid (£22!) but I was disappointed to find it couldn't compete with my trusty L'Occitaine hand creams.  You don't always get what you pay for!

What have you been loving recently?  Have you tried any of these products?

Model's Own Tropical Sun NOTD

Today's NOTD is Model's Own Tropical Sun from the Beetlejuice range.  I wasn't really fond of any of the other Beetlejuice shades but this one instantly caught my eye due to the shimmering pinky / peach / golden tones in the bottle.It reminds me a little of the Nars Orgasm polish, but obviously a lot cheaper!

Like I have found with other Model's Own polishes, it is quite thin and watery so it does require a bit of care when applying otherwise it is liable to spill over into your cuticles.

This is with two coats and as you can see there is still some visible nail line apparent in the photos, although it isn't nearly as obvious in person.  With another coat, I would imagine this would disappear or you could add a neutral base coat underneath for a more opaque finish.  Again, similar to other Model's Own polishes, I found it to last for around 3 days before there was any tip wear, but I don't use a top coat.

Verdict

This polish is perfect for injecting a little bit of sun into the gloomy Summer days we are currently experiencing.  I love the duo-chrome peachy shade with glimmers of gold that sparkle when they catch the light and at £5, it is an affordable treat.  If you are a peachy / coral fanatic like me, this is a must buy!

4/5

Price - £5, although they are currently £8 for 2 in Boots

Where to Buy - Boots, Model's Own, Asos

Or you could enter my giveaway here to win your very own Tropical Sun for  free!

CLOSED - 100 Followers Giveaway!

To celebrate reaching 100 followers, I've decided to hold a small giveaway of some of the things I am loving at the moment!

One person can win

• Models Own Polish in Tropical Sun
• Maybelline Eye Tattoo in On and On Bronze
• Carmex Moisture Plus in Sheer Berry (not yet available in the UK)
• Soft Paris Strawberry Balm

To win you must:

1) Follow me, either with GFC, Bloglovin, Hello Cotton or via email

2) Tell me in the comments what product you are loving right now

3) Leave an email or twitter name so that I can contact you if you win!

4) For an extra entry, follow me on twitter @cosmeticravings and let me know you have done this in the comments.

The giveaway will finish at 10pm Sunday 20th May and I will post the prize out the following week.

UK only followers only I'm afraid.

Weekend Wants!

Why is it that when there are lots of new collections on the way, I have no money?!

I've been reading a lot of US beauty blogs recently and there are several items that are on the horizon and have caught my eye.  I hope they are on their way over here, otherwise I will be resorting to eBay!

Benefit Snow White & The Huntsman Kit

Although you can buy each of these products separately and they are not limited edition, I am in love with this kit!  Containing the POREfessional, BAD Gal Lash Mascara, Benetint and High Beam, and accompanied by a gorgeous large makeup bag which is far more chic than the usual make up bag offerings, this looks like a great way to try out some of Benefits most lauded products.  I haven't managed to try out any of these products previously and I am very tempted.  I hope it becomes available in the UK soon.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Pic borrowed from Musings of a Muse

I am so excited to try these out!  I love the Clinique Chubby Sticks and these look very similar.  I hope they aren't too drying though as I find the Clinique ones so comfortable to wear and a cheaper dupe would be amazing. I love the look of the coral / orange one, Rendezvous.

Chanel Polish in Delight

Delight (centre)

I adore this bronze, shimmering polish.  Its certainly on my 'to-buy list' when it is available over here.  I can see myself wearing it constantly over the Summer, and it will look stunning with a tan!

 

What do you have your eye on at the moment?  

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy

As part of my mini haul of China Glaze products from US eBay, I picked up Flip Flop Fantasy, initially released as part of the Poolside Collection in 2010.  

Neon accents are very on trend at the moment and although I have yet to embrace the trend fully in my clothing, I can totally get on board with neon nails!

The colour in the bottle is seeringly bright and I am happy to announce that it remains suitably dazling when swatched and used on the nails.

The finish is semi-matte, as is common with many neons andI tend to use a top coat with it as I prefer the shiny, glossy look.   I did however find that it applied very streakily to the nails and it required three coats before it started to even out.  It was also quite liquid and difficult to control on the nail, although I have found this is common with other China Glaze polishes.

With Flash

In terms of wear time, it was only a couple of days before it began to chip, and when it chipped it flaked off in large chunks - there was no trying to cover it up with crackle polish like I normally do when I encounter short wear times!

Without Flash

Verdict

The colour is gorgous, both in the bottle and on the nail.  However the issues with application and the short wear time meant it was just too much hard work for me.  I will be saving it for specific nights out and for when I am craving statement nails! 

2/5

Price - £6.59

Where to buy - Sally's, US eBay

A Guide to Buying Beauty Products on eBay

Now before I start, I want to say that you purchase products from eBay at your own risk and that if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. That Mac blush you are getting for half price brand new many not be authentic....

 

But how do you make the most of eBay when purchasing beauty products? Well, I primarily use it for purchasing products that are not available  in the UK or are much cheaper in other countries.  

 

Nail products are the obvious hot purchases with brands such as OPI and China Glaze less than half the UK retail price on US eBay, and they are still a very good deal even when postage is factored in. Two sellers I have has particularly good service from are beautyzone2007 and enchantedbeautyspot who, between then, sell all the major US polish brands. Delivery usually takes just over a week.

 

In addition to nail polish, I've also bought some products that are not available at all in the UK, such as two versions of the Carmex Moisture Plus Sheer Lip Tints in Berry and Plum. I adore the peach and pink ones we have here in the UK, but after contacting Carmex and discovering they currently have no plans to sell the Berry and Plum ones here, I knew I had to track them down, and eBay was my friend!

 

Other useful sellers are French Pharmacy UK - for difficult to find French pharmacy skincare and the Liz Earle Factory Outlet store, which has Liz Earle products cheaper than retail - just be aware that the packaging may be damaged or printed incorrectly.

 

I have occasionally bought high-end cosmetics from eBay and you can find some good deals if you check carefully. Make sure the seller isn't selling hundreds of the same eyeshadow and check they are using their own photos not stock photos.  

I've managed to find US exclusives and limited edition products that have been out of stock everywhere, but you do have to be careful.  Go with your gut instinct.  These kinds of products are usually available for retail price, so you don't tend to  find many bargains, but you may be able to track down difficult to source items.  I know some people sometimes also manage to uncover new testers of lipsticks such as Guerlain's Rouge Gs for sale.  These are obviously cheaper than the ones you find on counters but they are without the gorgeous heavy packaging, which I know I personally couldn't do without!

I hope this has gone some way to giving you a few pointers for purchasing beauty products on eBay.  

Have you ever got a great deal on beauty products on eBay?

Can you recommend any good sellers?

  

Review: China Glaze Hunger Games - Riveting and Agro

I read The Hunger Games trilogy a couple of years ago, and was engrossed in them from the outset. In keeping with the current trend for theming nail polish colours and sets around films, China Glaze have released a collection loosely based around the movie.

I picked two polishes from the range: Riveting a bright shimmering red orange, and Agro, an olive green / gold hybrid with an almost frosty finish.

 

Riveting is unusual for a Summer collection release- it is a colour I would more traditionally associate with Halloween!

The polish on the nail looks almost identical to the colour in the bottle and the shimmer is very evident. It is almost a golden shimmer, and I found this to make it unique in my polish collection. Application was three coats although you could easily manage with two. I did find that the formula was very liquid and runny though, and rather difficult to control. It was easy to load the brush with too much product and this made for a tricky application for someone as clumsy as me! I'm not sure if this is always the case with China Glaze polishes, but it was certainly true of both of these.

Agro is another unique colour and one I think will be gorgeous come autumn. Again I used three coats, not so much to achieve opacity but more to even out the polish as it did have a tendency to show brush strokes. 

I was a little disappointed with the swatch colour of Agro as I would have like more of the golden shimmer / duochrome finish to show through. It looked a little flat on the nail, especially when compared with all the promise of the bottle but it is still very pretty.

L to R: Riveting and Agro (with flash)

Verdict

These polishes are both unique to my collection and whilst they don't scream Spring, I'm especially looking forward to wearing them both come Autumn. The only fail for me was the formula as I prefer a slightly thicker product, finding it much easier to apply. If you are prepared to work with it though, these colours are lovely, and they provide an interesting change from all the corals and pastels currently doing the rounds.

4/5

 

Price - £6.59

Where to buy - Sally's, US eBay

March Favourites

This will be a quick post this month as I haven't really been using many new products, although I have been using a lot of old ones up.  Plus I am still feeling the after effects of a long day with lots of wine at a friend's wedding yesterday!  Thank goodness it is a short week this week - I can't wait for a four-day weekend!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Crystal Baby - review here

This has been my go-to shade for those days when I just can't think if what lipstick to wear.  It imparts only a bare minimum of colour but helps to give a more groomed appearance.  

OPI Holland Collection, Kiss Me on My Tulips - review here

I liked OPI's Holland collection and I wore this plum / fuchsia hybrid quite a few times over the past month.  The quality of OPI polishes is, as always, superb and I love the mini bottles as I never finish a full one.  

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

A fab blusher which gives a gorgeous, soft pink dewy look.  This was my first watercolour blush and I am intrigued to try some of the others.  A review and swatches of this will be coming up later this week. 

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub - review here

Despite the fact that this scrub can cause a right old mess if you are not careful, I love this as it is sufficiently 'scrubby' whilst feeling very moisturising and the smell is amazing.  It is a love it or hate it scent though so I would recommend having a sniff of it before purchasing.  I think this is limited edition but itshould be available in stores until June.

Charles Worthington Full Volume Shampoo and Conditioner - review here

A great shampoo and conditioner that when used daily give sufficient volume to the hair, without weighing it down. They have not replaced my Tigi Dumb Blonde but I am very impressed with their performance, especially for the price.

What have been your favourites this month?

Review: Chanel Black Pearl

I don’t know about you but I always feel as beauty bloggers and readers we are constantly on the lookout for the next new product or item.  It is therefore easy to forget about permanent products that may have been available for some time, and are unloved gems.

Please excuse my awful cuticles and smudge on the 2nd finger - taken in a rush!

Chanel’s Black Pearl is one of my favourite polishes.  Released in late 2012 and now available on a permanent basis, this is an almost greened grey with a pearly finish (hence the name!).  When I was first introduced to it, I was a little afraid that it would be tricky to use without having the dreaded visible brushstrokes so often present in frost-type finishes.  However I am pleased to report that the formula is very easy to use, and two coats produces the perfect opaque finish. 

I’ve personally never got to grips with the whole, almost-black nail trend as I just look someone in fancy dress pretending to be a goth!  This is a much more wearable way of wearing dark polish as, although it is dark, it is a very easy-to wear grey, and the finish makes it significantly different from any other polishes that I own.

Verdict

If you like dark polishes and enjoy Chanel’s formula, this is a must-have in your collection!   It is the very definition of a grown-up grey polish and I feel extremely sophisticated when wearing it!  

5/5

Price - £17.50

Where to Buy – Debenhams, Boots, Selfridges, House of Fraser

Review: OPI Holland Collection

I will freely admit that I have an unhealthy addiction to nail polish and I very rarely manage to use up an entire bottle.  For this reason, I love purchasing the mini bottles that are often brought out by OPI and Essie, plus it gives me a reason to purchase several different shades from a new collection!

The Dutch Treats selection consists of four separate shades, inspired by Holland:

I Have A Herring Problem - a shimmering greyed blue

Red Lights Ahead... Where? - a bright coral orange/ red cream

Kiss Me On My Tulips - A rich, almost purple toned pink cream

Pedal Faster Suzi - A shimmering pink with silver sparkles.

From the four shades, I found I Have A Herring Problem the most unique, as I don't own anything else similar.  Pedal Faster Suzi was the colour I found the least interesting, mainly as I prefer more vibrant, punchy shades and I just don't feel it fitted cohesively with the rest of the collection.

Red Lights Ahead...Where? is a gorgeous orange / red hybrid.  However I have several dupes for this polish, as seen in the swatches above, and they are all very similar, with subtle nuances only visible when examined very closely in person. 

Kiss Me On My Tulips is another shade where I had some similar ones in my stash.  OPI's Dim Sum Plum is a touch darker whereas Essie Super Bossa Nova has a pearlescent sheen and is pinker.

As with other OPI polishes, I get several days wear without any chipping and very minor tip wear.   I find OPI's formula to be of medium thickness and very easy to apply.

Verdict

Whilst not offering any particularly new or earth-shattering shades, I do like this collection and it offers a mixture of cream and shimmer finishes.  The stand out shade for me is I Have A Herring Problem,  whilst the noticeably weaker shade is Pedal Faster Suzi as it requires at least three coats for opacity and didn't seem to fit with the rest of the collection.  Red Lights Ahead... Where? and Kiss Me On My Tulips are both strong shades but you may already have dupes in your collection as they are not particularly unique.

3.5/5

Price - £12.95

Where to Buy - Lena White, HQ Hair   Beauty Bay, John Lewis