Haunting Halloween Shades with BeautyUk

Hi everyone,

Today I have some Beauty Uk make up which would be great shades to use at Halloween. I enjoyed trying out these pieces and I think these would be perfect for a sultry vampire look ie Morticia Addams. I absolutely love that film(s) and I haven't actually seen it in years. Think it's going to be a must see for me this Halloween. 

The pieces that I received above are the *Compact Face Powder in Number 2 , *Black lipstick in the Shade No. 13 Darkness, *Glacier Gloss in shade No 10 'Plum and Have A Go' and finally the new *Eyebrow kit.

The Compact face powder was a dream to use. It has a built in applicator puff and mirror and would be great to take in your handbag. I thought Shade 2 would be too light for me but it was actually a good match. The powder was really easy to sweep across my face and it felt smooth and easy to achieve a subtle cover up. It provides a light coverage and I was pleased with the results. This retails for £3.99.

The '*Darkness' lipstick would be fantastic to use at Halloween. The formulation is wet which makes it very easy to apply and two swipes give you an opaque colour. When tested on the back of my hand it was easy to build up the darkness and there was no dragging or pulling, it just glided on. You get plenty of product in the tube and it has a decent lasting time too. The lipstick is £3.49 which is cheap and cheerful and will last a long time.

This is not a shade that I would have chosen myself in Plum & Have A Go but now that I've swatched it and worn it, I think it's a perfect berry shade for Autumn and Winter time and I really like it. The gloss feels slightly sticky but is great quality and has good lasting power. For £2.99 it's a bargain price and is a versatile shade.

The *Eyebrow kit  is a compact case which includes three shades of powder, wax, tweezers and an angled applicator for £3.99. The wax was smooth to apply and I chose the medium shade of brown to fill in and shape my brows. I've never actually used a kit like this before as I prefer my eyebrows to  be natural but found it easy to use. The powder was simple to apply but you have to have a steady hand and know the desired look that you are aiming for. This kit would be useful for an everyday look or as a Disney villain for Halloween with exaggerated brows. For me I still prefer my natural brows as they stood out too much for my liking. The colour was strong and lasted well but I need a lot more practice at how to actually apply it and look good!

On my lips, I applied the gloss first and then added a little black lipstick and blended.

What are you wearing for Halloween?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR items sent kindly for review.

BeautyUk Pink You've Had Enough - Nail Polish Review

Pink is my favourite colour for more or less everything. I just can't get enough of it. When I saw this shade, *Pink you've had enough on BeautyUk's website, I wanted to try it. It does look a more coral pink on the website but in real life it's more of a bright Barbie pink instead. 

I went through a stage of having bare nails whilst I moved house and when I got back into a routine I found that painting my nails makes me feel that I've made an effort and instantly makes me feel dressed up.

The brush and consistency of this polish made it really easy to apply to my nails perfectly and I loved the glossy finish. It has a mostly smooth finish and only one coat is shown in the photos. Two coats are needed for a even look.

I used this polish on a bright sunny day and it was perfect for this type of day. I would still wear it on dull days and with monochrome too so that it adds fun.  

I absolutely love this colour and it really stood out ( especially against my Mickey Mouse pants which are super comfortable!)

The wearability on this without a topcoat was two days on my nails which is great as polish usually chips on the same day with me.

The polishes are affordable too at £2.99 per bottle.

Do you like pink shades?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR item kindly sent for review.

BeautyUk Nail Polish Review - Daffodil Delight

Hi everyone,

The weather has been so sunny here in Edinburgh lately and so I'm making the most of the sunshine in the garden. This *Daffodil Delight from BeautyUK fits in perfectly with the bright weather and me holding onto the memories of the Summer just gone. I've never really worn yellow polish before so it was good to rock something new. It's a really unique colour which to me makes a fashion statement. The polish is priced at £2.99 which is very reasonable and you can buy it online direct from BeautyUK or from Superdrug stores also.

The polish requires two coats to ensure that you get an even finish and I found that it lasted really well on my nails so bonus points for that. As I've mentioned before, polish seems to chip on the same day as I wear it, so this to last a few days on my nails was fab. It was quite quick to dry too as compared to other polishes I've tried, I end up smudging them as they don't dry quick enough for me. I usually polish my nails at the last minute before I've got to be somewhere so a fast drying time is essential to me.

The polish really stood out and I think it could be incorporated into Autumn time too with mustard shades and navy blue hues.

Would you wear a yellow shade?

Love Laura xoxo
*PR item sent kindly for an honest review.

Beautyuk New Nail Care Review

Although I have a drawer full of nail polish I haven't really invested in any nail care. I just used to put the colour straight onto my nails and hey presto. All this changed though when I used a Barry M neon yellow and when I took it off I was left with stained yellow nails for weeks! Not a good look at all. 

So when I was kindly offered to try out some of Beautyuk's new nail care collection I gladly took them up on their offer. There are six different products in the range and they each retail for £3.99 each. 

Today I have the *Nail & Cuticle Conditioning Oil and the *Speed Dry Basecoat to show you. The other products available in the collection are Black Diamond Hardener, Matte Top Coat, Ultra Gloss Top Coat (which I used in this post) and a 5 in 1 Base and Top Coat.

Photo credit: Beautyuk

I used both of these products before trying out a new nail polish and I was extremely pleased with the results.

Nail & Cuticle Oil:

This has been developed to use on dry brittle nails and cuticles that are rough and irritated. It is super easy to use as you simply pop a droplet onto each nail and then massage in. The oil has a citrus scent to it and I really liked the moisturised feeling that it gave to my nails. It leaves a 'just been to the salon for a professional manicure- look' on your nails with the convenience and ease of applying in your own home or on the go.

The Oil;

• Is Almond-oil based and has Vitamins E and F included.
• Protects the nail plate.
• Nourishes and restores the natural moisture of your nails.
• It softens your cuticles and is meant to soothe them too but as mine weren't irritated in the first place, I didn't feel the effects of this.
• Nourishes nails and makes them look and feel healthier.

My nails looked healthier and were nourished so I will continue to use this and it's a product that I rate.

Speed Dry Basecoat:

After using the nail oil it's recommended that you carefully wash your hands before applying any polish so I made sure I did that and then I was ready to use the speed dry base coat. 

This base coat did live up to its claims of being speed-dry as I didn't have to wait long at all to start applying the polish on top. I only needed to apply a thin layer and the results reminded me of a clear nail polish look.

The basecoat has been produced to;

• Prime your nails for an even finish that grips your nail polish and this certainly did for the polish that I applied on top.
• It's meant to smooth out imperfections but as I don't really have any this wasn't noticeable on my nails.

• The basecoat contains UV filter to prevent nail discolouration.

• It prevents stains as once my polished was removed from a bright colour, my nails were left in perfect condition underneath with no signs of staining whatsoever.

• It also protects against chipping too and this was, for me, a pleasant surprise as my nail polish usually chips on the same day but with the use of these two products I actually got three days out of my polish which is amazing for my nails.

Overall I highly recommend these products and will continue to use them regularly as I loved the results.

Do you use nail care products?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR items sent for an honest review. All written words and photographs (unless credited) belong to me.

July Beauty, Clothing and Accessory favourites

Hello everyone. 

Spring and Summer is my favourite time of the year. I love the warm weather and the opportunity to wear pastels and neons. All the clothes seem to be much cuter in the Summer time. So here we have my July favourites and I've included a mixture of clothing, beauty products and accessories. 

Dress: I adore dresses so much and found this gingham shift dress on Boohoo.com. Boohoo have got some gorgeous items and I got a lilac daisy jumper too both in the sale.I love the colours of it so much and the material floats so it doesn't cling to your body so it's really flattering on. It cost £8 and it's now been reduced even further to £6.

Headband: I adore headbands and this one is super cute and incorporates cute ears with summer daisies. This is from River Island and I haven't actually worn it yet. It's only £2 in the sale. It would be perfect for festivals.

Necklace: I have a growing collection of statement necklaces and this is the most gorgeous one I own. It has rainbow crystals that I love, pink gems and makes an outfit instantly look glam. 

Scrunchies: I love these bobbles which have the little ears on them. They are a quick and easy way of tying your hair up and they look cute and quirky. I got a two pack from Ebay and the other one is pink with white polka dots.

Moisturiser: I absolutely love this Nivea in shower body moisturiser. Not only does it smell absolutely gorgeous but it adds moisture and a smoothing feeling to the body. I always moisturise so this is a winner for me. I also have it in the cocoa variety too. It's in the sale at the moment at Boots as I've just Googled it.

Lip crayon: I love this *Beautyuk lip crayon in the shade 'Would I lilac to you?' and have previously reviewed it here. I love the smoothness of the crayon, the colour and the effect it has on my lips. They're only £2.99 too.

Eyeliner: I love the finished look that eyeliner gives and this Skinny Liquid one from Eyeko is in a felt-tipped format which is really easy to draw on. It also has the staying power too.

Lipbalm- Yu-be is Japan's answer to extreme dryness of the skin. It has a wide variety of uses and I use it to moisturise my lips and it is amazing. Some people do not like the smell or taste of this but it does its job extremely well.

Hand cream- Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose. This smells absolutely amazing and I received it in a past Birchbox. A little goes a long way and I find it easy to rub in , moisturising and not at all sticky. I need to repurchase this when my little tube runs out.

Face & Neck cream: I use the Dr. Organic moisturiser that I received in my AX Paris goody bag and it has a whole host of amazing ingredients inside which actually does some good. The one I have is the Organic Moroccan Argan Oil day cream 50ml.

Brushes: These are my favourite two brushes that I use regularly. The first one is the *Denman Dolphin Tangle Tamer which is designed for children and is so gentle at taking my knots out of my hair. After using ones which are harsher on my wavy hair, I have decided that this one is perfect. 

I bought the Hair Angel Tangle Cherub purely for the design and colour and I absolutely love this brush. It smoothes my hair so well and takes tangles out. I use this on dry hair and it makes my hair super soft and neat.

Perfume: My favourite summer perfume is this Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture. The bottle is amazing and the scent is divine. I got mine for my Birthday in a set which had a rollerball and lipgloss, make up bag and two nail polishes.

I love this flowery headband that my friend Jenny sent me through the post. She sent me a flapper headband and a gorgeous heart necklace from Topshop too. I've chosen this one as the flowers are perfect for summertime.

Nail Polish: Beautyuk *Daffodil Delight. What a perfect summery colour for this polish. I have recently reviewed a purple and a peach from Beautyuk and they were super glossy and gorgeous. I will be doing a full review on this one soon.

What have been your favourites this month?

Love Laura xoxo

Beautyuk Shimmer Box Blush In Rose

Hi everyone. Today I have a *Beautyuk Shimmer box in the shade Rose to review. The Shimmer boxes are available in two colour variations with the other one being Bronze.

The Shimmer Boxes retail for £4.99 for 12g and you seem to get a generous amount of blush in the compact.

The blush is made up of five different stripes. These include a white gorgeous pearlescent highlighter, three tones of bronzer and a candy pink at the bottom. The powdered blush feels super soft to the touch and is pigmented. I swiped the colours individually and then swirled my brush to create a combination of the shades and the effect was a shimmering pink on my cheeks. The blush can be worn in a subtle way or if you add more product then the colour is more vibrant.

 The blush lasts the duration of the day too but I would suggest if you were wearing it from day to evening then a top up would be required. I probably wouldn't take it in my bag on a night out as I only really take a lip product out to top up but it is very handy with the mirror included.

The compact is a substantial size and clicks together securely. There is a cardboard sleeve over the top too which can easily slide off and this gives information on the ingredients contained inside. The Shimmer box has a handy mirror inside which is a generous size and I used this when applying the blusher. (The compact doesn't include a brush so you will need to provide your own.)

Black plastic has been used for the Shimmer Box and it feels good quality. It does leave fingerprint marks on the top of the case after use but these are easily wipe-able if you like your makeup packaging to look pristine.

Overall I'm really impressed with this budget blusher as for the performance, shade and duration it lasts, it is a steal.

Love Laura xoxo

*PR item kindly sent for an honest review.

Under The Heather- Nail Polish Review

I have a new found love for all things lilac and I gravitate towards them. . Whether it's a lilac handbag (which I don't yet own) lilac shoes or dresses, it's my new summer shade. I had my new shoes in mind when I chose this Beautyuk  *No7Under The Heather Polish as I love co-ordinating and what better way to match your nails to your shoes?

The polish retails at £2.99 which is an affordable price and the bottles are clean and crisp looking with the addition of the white lids.

The polish was really easy to apply but requires two coats for opacity and an even finish. I loved how the polish has a high gloss finish and didn't need for me to add a top coat. I left a longer time between each coat this time and got a perfect finish without smudging. 

Here's my new shoes. What do you think? Quite a good match between heather and lilac?

I wanted to try out the ultra gloss again but as soon as I added this to the my polish and rummaged in my wardrobe to retrieve my shoes they smudged! Story of my life. Note to self. Leave the glossy top coat to matte shades or don't root around in my wardrobe after polishing my nails.

Love Laura xoxo

*PR item sent for an honest review.

Beautyuk Posh Pout Lip Reviews

I absolutely love these *Beautyuk Posh Pout Lip Crayons. These are my favourite products from their whole collection and today I have five of them to review for you. I get so excited about lip items and especially lip crayons which are a dream to apply and look super pretty. If you're searching for a product which will add colour and provide a smooth feeling to your lips then these could be the ones for you. They are available in six different shades and I have previously talked about the Power To The Purple one here. 

They retail for £2.99 each which I think is a really great price especially for the effectiveness of them. These crayons are tinted lip balms in a twist up format which provide the lips with moisture and a rush of colour. All of the lip colours lasted for a very impressive three to four hours on my lips and I could still feel the smoothness after all that time. The colours then faded so this would be the time to reapply. The colours did transfer because I kissed my puppy's cheek whilst wearing Corally Incorrect and it left him a red lips mark!

The shades from left to right are; *How Nude! *Would I Lilac to You? *Big Pinkin', *Corally Incorrect and *Sugar Plum Fairy. 

Here are the swatches. From top to bottom there is How nude, Would I Lilac to you? Big Pinkin', Corally Incorrect and finally Sugar Plum Fairy.

They felt super smooth when applying to the back of my hand for swatches and also extremely smooth and soft on my lips.

How Nude! This one had the strongest scent of mint to it. As you can see it adds a little colour to the lips. If you are wanting a subtle everyday lip shade then this would be the one for you. It enhanced my natural lip colour a little by adding pale pink, moisture and smoothness.

Would I Lilac to you? adds a flush of pinky purple-ness. In my crayon there was a fleck of darker purple which I had to take out as it was leaving a darker streaky line. After this it was perfect.

Big Pinkin' is my absolute favourite. It's more pigmented than the previous two and adds a gorgeous Barbie pink to the lips which I love.

Corally Incorrect is the crayon which has the highest pigmentation. If you're wanting a vibrant shade then this is the one for you. I really like the tone of this red colour. Like with all of the crayons you can add more colour by layering.

Finally is Sugar Plum Fairy which on my lips looks quite natural. It darkens them and would be great for people who like the subtle look.

Positives:

Twist up packaging so need to fuss with sharpeners.

Long-lasting.

Smooth feeling.

Adds moisture to the lips.

Minty scent.

Cheap price.

Great colour selection.

Improvements needed:

The product information states vibrant colours whereas I feel that only Big Pinkin' and Corally Incorrect offer this.

Would I Lilac to You? had a little imperfection of darker purple added to it which made the colour uneven. 

Overall I absolutely recommend these lip colours for everyday wear and for nights out. I can't get enough of these Posh Pouts.

What's your favourite shade?

Love Laura xoxo

*PR items kindly sent for an honest review.