Festive Nail Polishes

Festive Nail Polishes

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Nail polishes become one of my favourite things around Christmas time. During the rest of the year, I usually find painting my nails an irritating chore but when Christmas arrives, I can't help feeling completely happy as I spruce up my nails with a red, green or glitter polish. 

At the beginning of the month, I attended Clothes Show Live with my best friend, Jess, and I received tonnes more nail varnishes to add to my winter/Christmas collection - a few of which will be included in this mini top 5 post. Enjoy! x

*FROM LEFT TO RIGHT*

Models Own - Scarlet Sparkle (a rich, Christmas red with thousands of ruby sparkles)

Models Own - Catherine Wheel (flecks of gold/red glitter strands that simply sum up Christmas)

Mint London - Hyper (cool green,blue tones with glitter to enhance those winter vibes)

Barry M - Silver (perfect for winter events to add some class to your outfit)

Barry M - Watermelon (a deep, sultry green to match your Christmas tree)

Lots of love 

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

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What could a beauty blog viewer love more than being introduced to a bargainous version of their fave product(s)/one they've been longing for for about 13 and a half years?! Take a wild guess at what I've got in store for you all today? I'm thrilled to announce that I'm back to beauty (finally!!!) - I've missed this too much. So...what other way can I make up my insane lack of makeup based content than a cheeky deal for you all to get your hands on - it's a good 'un! It get's better...I thought I really owed it to you so I've made sure to find a few dupes for some all time favourite highend beauty products.

Mac Studio Fix NC15 VS Bourjois 123 Perfect 51

In terms of colour, both in the bottle and on the face, these foundations are identical. They are both cool-toned, which is fabulous to counteract my blotchy red areas and are the closest matches to my skin colour I've ever found. When it comes to coverage, these are the ones I go to for that medium-full, flawless finish. Each dry to give a satin/matte finish, which you may think is strange considering I have dry skin. However, neither cling to dry matches or focus on any rough areas I may so have. The only problem is, the MAC one can become very cakey looking on the face so to avoid that, apply thin even coats on top of each other making sure to buff lightly into the skin. Onto lasting power now, I must say that if you like your makeup to last all night, I advise to pay that little bit extra and purchase the MAC option. This is because it last roughly 4 hours more than the drugstore one.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer VS NYX HD Photogenic Concealer

For those looking to eliminate dark circles, imperfections and redness, don't hesistate to carry on reading! Not only do these both give an insane full coverage (a fundamental feature in my case - when choosing a concealer to hide those dark, zombie undereyes) but they both glide effortlessly onto the skin without dragging or irritating my skin. I've found in the past that some concealer wants can be quite rough and make my eyes red/sore. The only difference I can state about these two is that the NARS one feels much more luxurious and fulfilling on the skin, the formula is heavenly and sinks perfectly in places you wish to be rid of and correct. Finally, both concealers have a great tendency to last the entire day without creasing - HUGE BONUS! Grab your hands on either of these if anything above ticked your concealer hunting list.

Benefit Rockateur VS Bourjois Jasper Rose

In the photos, we can see that there colours look slightly 'off' - Rockateur has minor peachy tones whereas Jasper Rose is just plain pink. Despite this colour mishap at first glance, when applied to the cheeks, I kid you not, they give off the same healthy, rosy glow. A little goes a long way; each product being so high on the pigmentation scale means only a sweep on the brush can give you your desired look. Anyone who is still unsure of splashing out £24 on a single blush, I suggest you go down to boots and get your hands on this before purchasing. 

Benefit They're Real VS Collection Lenthening Mascara

The couple claiming to both lengthen and define are neck and neck. Using Collection's mascara sincerely surprised me - I was not expecting it to match that of Benefit's infamous They're Real. With alike wands, the formula is applied in the exact same way. Bottom lash application is also simple as the wand ends are very slim so are able to get in there without being too messy. Honestly, I cannot fault the Collection mascara in any way; the final look on the eyes are very very V E R Y similar so similar I may do an in depth review on these two just to prove how much. The only things I could mention, if I was to be really picky, is that the Benefit one is easier to remove and overall slightly lengthens the lashes by 1mm more. THE BEST DUPE OF THE POST!

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss Liar VS Barry M Toffee Ligloss

Urban Decay's Naked collection is an evergrowing love of every beauty fanatic nowadays. More recently, I have seen people purchasing the beautiful rose gold lipgloss tubes, which I have to say I'm in love with deeply. In my collection, I realised I have a lipgloss that can be compared quite closely. Regardless of the differentation in colours (seen in swatches above) the Barry M lipglosses have a dupe-like formula to that of the Urban Decay lip products. Both with a smooth glossy finish, you would not be able to tell the difference on the lips aesthetically and personally - a great bargain if I do say so myself. The only downfall is that the UD ones have better pigmentation and the Barry M ones can become rather sticky after several layers of applicance. 

Chanel Coco Rouge Lipshine Satisfaction VS L'Oreal Collection Privee Cheryl's Nude 

My all time favourite nude is Chanel's Satisfaction - not too pale, not too dark. Personally, I believe this to be a very sophisticated and flattering colour regardless of skin tone/preference. L'Oreal's nude collection could mirror that of this gorgeous Chanel shade; with 6 colours in the range, you can find your perfect nude for a cheaper price. In my opinion, Cheryl's Nude strikes drugstore Satisfaction to a T - I'm really into a nude lip this Summer. If you want that more luxurious feel and richness on the lips, you can go all the way and pay £25 for Satisfaction! Equally, each have a very subtle finish and pigmentation on the lips which makes it evermore the classier - I'm just in love with this lippie!

Mac Lady Danger VS E.L.F Velvet Rope

Hot, orange goodness to brighten up your Summer, Mac's Lady Danger and E.L.F's Velvet Rope can help you make a statement this season. Despite the different finishes, you can save £12 to get an exact colour match. As Lady Danger is has a matte finish, it is therefore longer lasting and can honestly stay on your lips for an entire day/night. On the other hand, E.L.F's moisturizing formula has a slightly glossier finish so can end up rubbing off in a couple of hours. It's down to you to decide - moisturzing, cheap but not long-lasting or matte, long-lasting but expensive?

Nars Audacious Charlotte VS Rimmel Kate Moss 107

Colour - With Rimmel's Kate Moss 107 shade being the Autumn craze over the last few years, I would like to inform all you owners of this berry beast that it mimicks that of the Nars Audacious Lipstick collection. Deep berries are my go-to every Autumn/Winter, like most beauty bloggers, so I thought I'd share this good lil dupe. The shades are very alike in the swatches above, as well as looking identical on the lip. Lasting power is 10/10 for both but the formula can become very drying and flake with the Rimmel option. To avoid this from happening, all you need is a little bit of lip balm to apply beforehand and your flaking nightmare will be over. 

Mac Rebel Lipstick VS Maybelline Colour Drama Berry Much

Colour - I won't declare this as the classic 'save the best till last' but this dupe comes close to one of my faves. Being a huge fan of the Maybelline Colour Drama pencils has become no surprise to me, the easy application, the rich colour, the variety in colour range and longevity of the product has been a massive YES from me! I would totally compare the darkest shade, Berry Much, to one of my Mac holy grails - REBEL! Similar in both satin finish, formula and intense berry colour you cannot go wrong with this dupe. For a third of the price, I would totally recommend all of my viewers to get your hands on this, especially before Autumn approaches.

What are your favourite dupes? 

Lots of love

9 Nail Polishes You NEED This Summer

9 Nail Polishes You NEED This Summer

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Painting my nails is seen to me as a massive chore, mainly due to the fact that I'm awful at it and always end up in a mess. However, in Summer, I have a little more motivation to do so - especially this year because I'm going on holiday with my bestfriend Jess to Turkey!

I thought I would put together my absolute favourite summer time nail polishes for you all incase you are a nail polish hoarder, like myself (I have no idea why I have so many/where they all came from?)

 Dior Samba 794 - A glamorous metallic green-blue polish that reminds me of the glistening waves in a tropical country. This was part of a duo from their Summer Bird of Paradise Collection in 2013.

Barry M Mediterranean Sea - A shade from their aquarium collection which I am deeply in love with. This colour is a rose pink with subtle hints of gold bursting throughout. 

Barry M Grapefruit - This one is part of the Gelly Hi-Shine range meaning they are a dupe of the gel manicures you get in a salon. This vibrant pop of coral/pink looks beautiful on sunkissed skin and holds a gloriously glossy finish.

Yes Love W865 - A neon orange that I would preferably wear on the toenails. You cannot go wrong with bright nail polishes on the toes, they look great during summer - just be careful if you're wearing clashing coloured sandals/flip flops! 

Models Own Lemon Meringue - A toned-down pastel yellow that isn't too 'in your face'. This looks really cute and girly for the day time and only needs one sweep over the nail to create a thick glossy coat.

Essie Mint Candy Apple - An infamous polish loved by all. Not only is this my #1 colour, it also holds all great traits of a fab nail polish. It stays chip free for a good week or so (something very hard to find in a drugstore varnish), the colour in the bottle forms opaquely on the nail with one layer and it applies smooth onto the surface of the nail. A winner from me!

Barry M Blueberry - Another of the Gelly Hi-Shine range. Blueberry, I would describe, as a sky blue that requires a build up of layers to achieve opaque-ness. Another of my absolute favourites from the bunch.

Barry M Indigo - This is a harsh navy shade with deep purple undertones. My favourite toe nail colour would have to be this - it really accentuates a summer tan, even if the sun has kissed you just a little. Although this is a dark shade, I just love how it complements the skin during the summer months.

Models Own Grape Juice - Last but not least is Grape Juice. Desired shade is achieved with two thin coats or a good ol' single thick one. Grape Juice is a soft pastel lilac that is a further great shade for a girly daytime look, just like lemon meringue. 

 What are you favourite Summer nail polishes? Are you going on holiday this Summer?

Love