Brand Focus : Models Own

Brand Focus : Models Own

Comment   

Nail painting for me is always a chore. I find it so difficult to paint my short nails and wait for them to dry - I'm waaaay too impatient! However, I can't resist the temptation of buying nail polishes and testing the colours immediately. Therefore, when I got in touch with Model's Own, I was more than happy to share my thoughts and opinions on their products.

Models Own are a cosmetics brand, sold in drugstore like Boots and Superdrug, that sell stunning nail varnishes alongside an evergrowing range of other products (eyeshadow, lipgloss etc). Over a long period of time, I have been a large fan of the company because they produce incredible opaque polishes for a reasonable price. With other drugstore nail polishes, I find that they lack in intensity and require more than one coat to build up to its true potential. However, I've never experienced this flaw in Model's Own formula and find that applying a single layer is all you need, making me extremely happy because I don't have to wait 30 minutes for several layers to dry.

*Disclaimer - my nails are horrendously short and I can't apply nail polish for sh*t so please don't judge the swatches below*

When I received my package, I was thrilled to see 6 summer-perfect polishes awaiting me to test them. All the colours, for me, are wearable because I'm not that fussy with colours matching outfits. Fortunately, I was gifted 4 Hyper Gel polishes in which hold similar qualities to that of a gel-manicure at a salon (high pigmentation, hi-shine etc). Alongside this, I received on of their classic polishes to compare with the gel finish and a 'special effects' Chrome shade from their new range.

Hyper Gel White Light

An simple, classic true white with high pigmentation and shine. The hi-shine effect, derived from the gel formulation, ensures that the nails glisten under the sunlight. This is perfect for the Summer - white looks incredible against dark/tanned skin!

Hyper Gel Summer Solstice

Orange is another colour that always looks beautiful on sunkissed skin. This deep, rustic orange glides on the nails with ease via the precise applicator. Also, Hyper Gel's always seem to last a lot longer on the nails than the original polishes - I definitely think the incredible, thick gel formula has something to do with this!

Sarong Wrap

A bright yellow to match the sun, accompanied by a beach-friendly name. I love brands that come up with appropriate, qwerky names to call their products - it's the little things that matter! Although this is border-line on my comfort zone, I will definitely be wearing this out in the summer to complement the sun (if we ever do get some in England!!) as I'm rather tentative drawing attention to my gross nails.

Hyper Gel Persian Pink

A blue-toned pink that is perfect for everyday wear. Wearing pink polish is something I opt for on a daily basis as the colour is feminine, classy yet simplistic. I also love how the blue undertones have toned down the vibrancy of the pink - this totally makes it more wearable for me as my cool skin tone doesn't look good against the typical 'Barbie' pink.

Hyper Gel Loganberry

The last of the Hyper Gel range I was gifted was this beautiful, deep cherry red. This will look incredible in the Autumnal months accompanied by a dark red lip. The Gel effect specifically showed on this darker colour - the pigmentation was the best and the shine glowed when exposed to light. I cannot wait for Autumn so I can wear this constantly!

Chrome Pink

Finally, my absolute favourite shade - a metallic rose pink with silver, iridescent glimmers. I cannot begin to describe the love I have for this polish - I have not stopped wearing it since I received it. The silver and pink really work together, giving off a glamorous shine under rays of light. Also, I was very impressed with the uniqueness of this range - I was yet to find an intense, metallic polish from the drugstore until I met this collection for Model's Own. You will definitely be seeing more from this range in the future - I cannot wait to go and pick up some other stunning chromes!!

What are you favourite nail polishes? Do you own anything from Models Own?

Lots of love

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*This post is in collaboration with Models Own. However, all opinions are honest and my own.*

Brand Focus: Essence

Brand Focus: Essence

Comment   

Today's brand focus is a brand that has rose dramatically in popularity over the past few years. Prior to receiving my Essence goodie bag, I had only ventured as far as their liquid glitter eye products and lipsticks so I was extremely excited to see what else they had to offer. Already, I was expecting good things, as I was rather impressed at the quality of their lipsticks, despite the inexpensive pricing.

Essence are a cosmetic company that are sold exclusively in Wilkinson's in the UK; however, when I went to Ireland a couple of years ago, they were selling Essence in a shop called Pennies (I believe it's the equivalent of Primark in England). 

EYES 

'Plump NO CLUMP' Mascara ~ Drugstore mascara is my go-to! I've never found a highend mascara that is any better than one I love from the drugstore; so quite simply, I just stick to the cheaper option. This worked very well on my lashes, giving added volume and lengthening too. 

Long Lasting Black Eyeliner ~ Eyeliner is something I always struggle to apply - I cannot perfect the 'winged' liner no matter how many times I try. However, I'm also a lover of eyeliner in my waterline and below to my bottom lashes to intensify an eye look. Thus, a long-lasting black eye pencil is what I need. I've wore this out once so far and was rather impressed by the results. The liner didn't budge for a good 5 hours, alongside maintaining the same pigmentation from when I first applied.

LIPS

XXXL Nude Lipgloss in 'Soft Almond' ~ I always turn to matte lips in the Winter, despite my lips deteriorating in the cooler months. This has literally ruined my lips and I completely regret not opting for lighter options, like lipgloss. I really love subtle lipglosses to add a shine to the look - a layer of this would look incredible on top of a nude lip! Perfect for the summer!

'Soft Berry' Lipliner ~ This may actually be the favourite product I received from Essence. I am a huge fan of nude lips, like most of the female population at the minute, so was thrilled to be gifted with the PERFECT nude liner to accompany my MAC Velvet Teddy lipstick. Soft Berry is a muted mauve-pink that doesn't budge from the lips all evening. I like to apply the product on my lip line and in the corner of my mouth to create a soft, ombre gradient.

NAILS

'The Gel Nail Polish' Base Coat 

'The Gel Nail Polish' in 'My Love Diary'

'The Gel Nail Polish' Top Coat

Nail Polish is something that always seems a chore to me. However, whenever I buy new polishes, I cannot help but quickly apply them. My go-to colour to wear on a daily basis is nude - it's just perfect for sixth form and every day wear because of the versatility of the colour. This makes matching your nails to your outfits a solvable issue. Anyway, these gel polishes were something I was excited to get my hands on. I love gel polish and have had my nails painted with 'shellac' many a time - I couldn't wait to try it on myself. Unfortunately, I didn't capture a photo with them on but the product lasted on my nails for 6 straight days. Usually, drugstore nail polishes chip within a day or two so this was a huge difference from me. Get your hands on these while you can girlies!

Have you purchased anything from Essence before? What are your favourite summer nails polishes?

Lots of love

-------------------------------------------------------------------

These products were received in collaboration with Essence Cosmetics. All opinions are honest and my own.

Brand Focus : Live Love London

Brand Focus : Live Love London

Comment   

Over the past few days, I have been thinking about a bringing a series to my blog - one that I know I will be able to manage and keep going every month. Being a huge beauty lover, I thought that I could potentially focus on a brand(s), at least one post a month, and give my honest opinions on all the products I own from them. I'm planning to showcase brands both highly recognised and upcoming, whether it be telling to guys about my favourite highend brand or expressing my love for an afforable brand that not many know about. Who knows, I might incorporate some fashion brands in the future if this goes down well?

The first brand we are going to zoom into is Live Love London - a company that have recently released a new beauty range exclusive to BHS. From haircare to makeup, Live Love London offer it all beauty-wise with affordable prices attached! However, the products that particularly intrigued me were their face palettes and lipsticks. Here is how I got on...

Bronze & Light Palette £6.75

What we have here is one of the most aesthetically pleasing bronze,blush and highlight palettes I've seen on the high street side of the spectrum. Encased in a sleek, black compact, 6 beautiful shimmer shades are arranged. Each shade is extremely diverse - something hard to find in any palette. I find that a lot of companies produce cosmetics that are TOO similar in the same palette, making me question whether it is worth the buy. Also, most shades are EXTREMELY pigmented (the bottom row and the white highlight), although I wouldn't count this as a negative point simply because I prefer blush shades to be sheer. This helps me to apply the shade subtly and not end up turning into a toy doll. 

Top Row (left to right)

~ A peach/coral toned pink with tiny golden glitter particles ~

~ A muted, mauve pink with a metallic sheen ~

~ A pure champagne white enriched with thousands of silver glitter ~

Bottom Row (left to right)

~ A salmon pink layered with a metallic, iridescent glow ~ 

~ A muted, mustard brown with flecks of golden glitter ~ 

~ An intense orange-copper with high metallic overtones ~ 

My personal favourites are two highlighting shades - the white and salmon pink will both look incredible on the cheeks for summer because of their glitter intensity. I just LOVE glitter!!! 

HD Contour Expert Palette £10

Contouring is a huuuuge thing in the beauty world. Therefore, I like to 'jump on the bandwagon' and try things out too. I already own a lot of high end contour products but nothing from the drugstore. I'm only used to working with powder contour, so was thrilled to find out that Live Love London contained 6 powder contour shades for me to work with. The palette is accompanied with a practical mirror and a small guide as to where the shades work best on the face. I am yet to venture into this crazy, intense contour look but I will let you know when I finally pluck up the courage to do so. 

Each of the powders are finely milled, feel silky on the skin and are highly pigmented. There are two highlight shades and four contour shades; the contour colours cater for all skin types which makes the palette versatile and universal. Despite being suitable for all skin types, I would like to say that I feel 5 shades would still be able to work on my skin - if not, I will be able to fit it into an eyeshadow look somehow.

Lipsticks £2 each

Lip products are one of my favourite things about makeup. I cannot begin to describe my excitement whenever I go lipstick shopping; trying different branded lipsticks is something that I enjoy and I would love to share with you my experiences.

First of all, the price is INSANE! I love affordable lipsticks, especially when they leave an impressive result. These are relatively long-lasting, considering their pleasing value - I wore them for roughly 3 hours before reapplying and this time scale is no different from the majority of my drugstore lippies. 

Secondly, Live Love London offer a wide range of lipstick shades. For me, these will be worn and cherished; pinks and reds are my thaaang. Both are wearable and are not too striking, making them perfect for everyday use. I also love the pigmentation and hydration these lipsticks offer - my lips are super sore after the winter months have passed and need a lot of TLC. These leave a moisturising coat on the top of my lips, which makes my lips feel soft and hydrated. Oh, and let's not forget...they smell like sherbet!!!

Have you tried anything from the Live Love London beauty range yet? What is your favourite drugstore brand?

Lots of love

----------------------------------------------------------------

The products mentioned were gifted from Live Love London, however all opinions are honest and my own.