Stuff & Nonsense

Hi all, hope you're all having a lovely weekend. I can't believe it snowed again! Not done much here except for lunch at Pizza Express yesterday and a trip to the in laws this afternoon where we were plied with revolting Lidl cake. I cannot stand cheap cakes/chocolate and a combination of both is GRIM.

Anyway here's how I looked today. Complete with multiple chins. ;)

Here's some close ups. Mac Please Me lipstick. I've grown to love this after my initial uncertainty.

And here's the eyes, thats Mac Silver Fog Pigment, Mac Dark Soul Pigment and Barry M Silver metallic liner (which is rubbish btw).

In other news. My China Glaze Strawberry Fields lasted not even 24 hours before chipping like a total bad un. Not impressed. So I'm now on the very beautiful China Glaze Holo OMG.

And if you spot any lumps and bumps, thats my damaged nails, not the application. I've worked out why I've been having so much trouble applying the China Glaze polishes. I did two coats of OMG before I left for the in laws and did the third in the car on the way (in a traffic jam). It was hideous, chewy, patchy, every brush stroke pulled up the previous layers despite the fact they were very dry. So when I got to the in laws I borrowd MIL's nail polish remover and started again. I didn't have my Base coat with me so had to go without. And what a difference! No problems at all, it went on like a dream. Clearly China Glaze polishes and OPI Nail Envy don't go at all. The difference was immense. So. Now I need to know what base coats all you China Glaze lovers are using because I can't keep using the Nail Envy if its causing me such problems.

Recommendations?

Last but not least Charly @What Charly Thinks... is having a give away to celebrate reaching 100 followers. The prize is the Urban Decay Hall of Fame so please go and check it out!!

Another Trans Design Purchase

This time we have China Glaze Strawberry Fields. I don't have much to say about this, it's a nice pink with gold flecks. Very pretty. But look! Don't you notice a marked improvement in my nails and cuticles?! I think all my care is paying off eventually! Anyway, I really like this colour. I fancied a change from all the holo's but think my fingers are still a little too red for the Essie green!

oh oh...

I'm in trouble. Big trouble.

I've been having a good nosey around at the next few MAC collections to be released, read reviews, oohed and ahhed over swatches and compiled a list. It's a conservative list really. But when you're short of cash it's rather a lot...I might have to sell a child.

So from MAC in Lillyland I want:
Joie de Vivre cremeblush.
Pearlmatte shadows
Coconut Ice Nail Varnish
Lush & Bright Lip gelee.

From All Ages, All Races, All Sexes I want:
Myself Lipstick
Spirit & Soul Lipglass
Personal Style Beauty Powder Blush

From Give Me Liberty of London I want:
Ever Hip Lipstick
Frankly Fresh Lipglass

And the Spring Forecast, well god help me, from what I've seen so far I want:
Straw Harvest Eyeshadow
Perky Eyeshadow
hot hot hot Eyeshadow
Colour Me Coral lipstick
Vintage Grape Blush
Ripe Peach blush

That's about it. So far.

What's your wishlist and why?

China Glaze TTYL

Good Morning. If you read yesterday's blog entries you'll be expecting this post. I painted my nails last night with the third of my Trans Design purchases, China Glaze TTYL Holo polish. This is the polish I wasn't looking forward to trying as I didn't like it when I tested it on one nail. It just looked like a frosted mauve which wasn't particularly nice. However, I like it! The application was awful, I just don't seem to get on too well with the formulation of these at all, but three coats and a coat of Seche Vite and it looks nice. As always, ignore the state of my fingers, they are a work in progress!

Anyway, this one is MUCH more twinkly than the FYI I had on before. The holographic nature of it shows up much more. When the holo isn't showing, it's a nice but boring metallicy mauve colour but when the holo is showing, which is a lot, it's really very pretty indeed. I can't stop looking at my fingers! Just look at that last pic! I know its bit blurry, but look!

I still prefer FYI when the holo isn't showing up, but this is far superior when the holo is showing, gorgeous!

Oh and I must just praise Seche Vite while I'm at it, Three coats of polish and one of Seche Vite and touch dry immediately and completely smudge proof when I went to bed 15 minutes later. I've never ever known this in my life, but then I've spent most of my life using cheap polishes, but three coats would NEVER dry, never mind if three coats and a top coat, so I'm really impressed.

What do you think? I think I'm a little bit in love.

Nail Update - Week Five

Three blog posts in one day!

Anyway, I've not done a nail update for a couple of weeks.  So here we were at week one:

And here we are after five weeks of OPI Nail Envy and Lush Lemony Flutter.

They are obviously much better but I'm at a loss now as to how to improve the ragged cuticles. The nails are pretty strong but one did flake earlier today which isn't ideal. Hmm. I'm about to use nail varnish 3 from my Trans Design Order, China Glaze Holographic TTYL. It's the one I'm most disappointed in colour wise but I've only tested it on one nail so far so expect a report tomorrow!
Any advice on raggedy cuticles gratefully received!

Yes. This is another Gosh Darling Review.

Kind of. Actually there's not much to say about this lippie. It's nothing special and has a horrid finish. But it's not so horrid I won't use it up. So here's a close up:

Streaky grimness.

Then here's a full face job:

I think the colour looks okay-ish but it looks a bit like a clown applied it, despite my usual careful application.

I think it looks rubbish compared to my beloved MAC Honeylove.

 What do you think?

Tuesday Boots & Lush Haul

I've just had a little trip into town while Chloe is at nursery. It wasn't much fun though as Lola was tired and hungry so I just legged it around and was done in an hour. First I had a £5 Ruby & Millie/No7 voucher so I went Boots and picked up these:

That's the Ruby & Millie Concealer Brush which I plan to use on my eyes to place colour precisely in the crease and No7 wipes. I really like the Ruby & Millie brushes I have already. I use Lush cleansers most days but once or twice a week at bedtime I just can't be bothered.

Then I went to Lush, as you probably all know by now, because I keep banging on about it, I'm out of love with Lush except for a few staple products. But I still get excited by new things sometimes. I didn't fancy the Magic Mushroom BBS since I've heard it barely smells once in the bath and I don't really like the bubble bars, and I didn't fancy the Ex Factor Ballistic either. I'm not keen on Butterball at the best of times but why make the same ballistic in a different shape? Anyway, I really wanted the Happy Blooming bath melt. Smells like cherries! Its a gorgeous smell but its not strong so I expect another disappointing bath that smells of nothing once the product hits the water. But then the Sales Assistant showed me Space Girl. I didn't know these were out yet but I knew they were coming. It smells divine. Like lemon sweeties, sherbet maybe, it also smells strong so I'm hopeful! It's got glitter in it which I loathe but the smell is so good I'll ignore that!

Then I gave in and got the Bubblegum lip scrub. I used to have the Mint Juleps one when it was a B Never product but I was never keen on the taste, this is a bit yummy though!

In other news, the China Glaze FYI hasn't chipped yet which is amazing since Ive heard such awful things about chipping, sometimes within the hour! Very impressed.

Also, I have found the Gosh Darling lippie is considerably better with a light touch, it's not love but I'll use it. I'll try to get a pic later.
xx

Happy Mondays

Hi all, hope you all had a fab weekend and a not too bad Monday. My weekend was pretty uneventful really, just popped into town on Sunday for a few bits, a fry up and a Costa coffee and cake. Big G and I are Latte fiends and have a homemade one every single night at 9pm in a tall mug, but usually at least once a weekend we do a Starbucks or Costa run into town. It tricky though because Costa does the best coffee but Starbucks do the best cakes, like Apple and cinnamon fritters and chocolate cake doughnuts...but I digress.

Aaaanyway, I nipped into Superdrug for some baby things and a couple of bits might have fallen into my basket. Namely the Barry M Silver Metallic eyeliner that I fell in love with when I saw Muhsine review it over at bubblegarm. I dunno, it swatched nicely on my hand, beautifully pigmented but I can't get it to work well on my lids at all. It kind of skids over bits leaving bare patches, but I'll try again tomorrow with some UDPP and I'll take some pics if I can.

The other thing was that I gave into the hype and bought myself Gosh's Darling. Hmm. I'll have to try it again tomorrow because it was definitely a bit meh on me. And streaky. I think I'm just too in love with MAC mattes. I'll try again though.

Finally, 40 followers! I'm thinking I'll do a giveaway if I ever get to 100 but that seems more possible now than it did when I started. Thank you everyone who takes the time to read my inane ramblings :)

Lots of love,

I've been fiddling...

...with my layout. Now I'm up and running I thought it was time to find a layout that was more "me" and I do like pink, but black is most definitely more me!

What do you think? Also I've tried to make sure I follow everyone who follows me, if I'm not following you please let me know!

I forgot to say in my earlier post...

The Ruby & Millie foundation brush is good but I won't be using it again, the waste!!! Back to fingers for me.

Friday Stuff & China Glaze FYI Review

I am caked in make up today, Thanks to the combined efforts of the kids I had no sleep. Thanks to the make up I don't look as tired as I feel, I do however look a little "cakey" so no pics. In addition to the eye bags I am sporting a fresh crop of spots which I can only assume are a reaction to the new No7 serum & moisturisers. I guess I'll persevere and see if the spots continue. Yes, I feel beautiful today. NOT.

In other news I found time to do my nails today. The second of my Trans Design order. China Glaze FYI from the holographic OMG collection.

Well doesn't it look pretty. The first thing to say is that I found this much easier to apply than my Recycle adventures the other day! This is partly due to the tips I received and partly due to the fact that I just had more time to put into doing it properly. Three coats and a top coat of Seche Vite worked well. I've not taken a proper pics because my nails/cuticles look a mess and not fit for showing off but this should give a good idea of the finish:

So, what do I think of this polish? I'm not sure. 99% of the time this polish appears to just be a light frosty taupe, which is lovely and very "me". The holographic effect is stunning but I'm not sure I really get holo's, or at least this one.. what is the point of a polish that in order to see it's effect you have to go and stand outside and wave your fingers in the direct sunlight? I think maybe I was expecting more. But regardless, I really do like this polish. I like the colour when you can't see the holo and I love the colour when you can so this one is definitely a thumbs up.

Please remember my fingers/nails are very much a work in process and I'm labouring love on them every day but they're not very pretty.... yet.

An introduction

I've got lots of new followers in the last couple of days so I thought I'd just do a little introduction to me & my family as I've not done one really :)

I'm Charlie, I'm 35, and live in Devon, UK with my husband and three daughters. I'm a stay at home Mum with her hands full and I have no clue what I'll do when I do return to work! I'm obsessed with make up, always have been, love crappy telly and Battlestar Galactica and I look forward to the day when I have the opportunity to read books again (although somehow I managed to find time to read all the Twillight saga in a short space of time!). I'm also a bit nerdy and love World of Warcraft. shhh.

This is me (with no make up on!):

This is my hubby (mean n'moody):

This is Chloe & Lola:

Hi everyone :)

Skincare Stuff

Firstly I'd like to thank Eva and Jo @ http://www.beautyliciouslove.com/ for their advice regarding my fine lines and wrinkles!

Today I've ben out and bought the following:

Thats No7 Protect & Pefect Day Cream, Night Cream & Intense Beauty Serum. All are around the £20 mark, give or take 50p. The serum in particular reckons you'll have results in 4 weeks. We shall see! Now was a very good time to buy since they have a buy two get one free offer on plus I had a £5 off No7 voucher so that lot cost me £35 which, if they work, will be a bargain!

These pics are for comparison in the future purposes. I don't now if you can see on the last pic but in the last few months I've developed a very deep crease on the side of my mouth, its weird because it looks like a scar, it's about half a centimetre long and much clearer when I have make up on.

Anyway, watch this space!

Buys, Faces & Stuff

Hi all :)

Today has been a funny old day but I won't bore you with that!

Firstly, I had one of those No7/Ruby & Millie £5 vouchers from Boots so I went to buy a foundation brush. Never used one to apply foundation before but thought while I had a voucher I'd give it a go. Got it to the till and the girl couldn't scan it, I told her it was £11.50 but she went off to get another one from the shelf which wouldn't scan either. She got her supervisor over who charged me £6.50, which with my voucher meant I spent £1.50. Who cares if it's rubbish for that money! Yay!

Secondly, I got this:  MAC Holiday Eye Palette in Smoke & Mirrors.

I had to, y'know, to go with the other Devil May Dare.

Lastly what do you think of this lipstick on me? It's MAC Please Me. I think I love it but it's quite bright in the flesh!

How are you all anyway?