Chanel Jade and Ciate Apple and Custard

Chanel's jade nail polish is being sought after by every fashionista, but unfortunately they are at present only releasing a few hundred bottles.

If you too are lusting after this season's most talked about nail varnish, but do not want to join the hundreds of people already on its waiting list you do not have to be green with envy! Ciate have brought out a beautiful milky green polish called Apple and Custard, which is the closest dupe for Jade I have been able to find.

This polish is extremely opaque, yet it dries very quickly. One coat gives you beautiful milky pistachio nails, and after two coats the colour is even richer.

I have tried several Ciate polishes in the past and as well as their pretty packaging I know I can trust them to be good quality. I am particularly a fan of their cream formulas as they are not at all streaky and quite dense so the colour you see in the bottle is the same as what you get on your nails. If you are interested in checking this colour out it can be found here.

What do you guys think of the Jade hype and will you be painting your nails green this autumn? I am still not too sure, but I just had to see what the fuss was about with this colour. After wearing it for a day I actually think it is pretty wearable, and much prefer it to MAC's celebrated peppermint patti :).

Eye Colour Series- Hazel

A fun arabic inspired eyeshadow tutorial that looks great on all colour eyes, especially hazel. If you have hazel eyes you can also check out the tutorial for green eyes using warm purples :).Products used:

Face: Dior forever foundation spf25
NARS Laguna bronzer
Peachy neutral blush from ebay palette

Eyes:MAC greenstroke painpot
L'ancome silver eyeshadow
Pure Luxe minerals
MAC club and espresso eyeshadow
Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in zero
L'ancome Hypnose mascara

Lips- MAC subculture lipliner
Bodyshop colourglide lipstick in latte swirl.

Hope you guys can try this one out as I think it will be universally flattering! xxx

FOTD- Saturday and Maxie being a little thief :).

This weekend was a relaxing one with the boyfriend- plenty of good food (Sainsbury's are doing a recession friendly offer for a two course taste the difference meal and a bottle of wine for two for only £10!), DVDs, and X-Factor. However, on Saturday night we managed to dislodge ourselves from the couch for some drinks and a few giggles at a comedy club.

 (Luke always boasts that he has longer eyelashes than me, but I think I win with a little help ;). Who do you think wins, nature or Revlon? Hehe).

Never missing a chance to play with my makeup, but only having a few minutes to get ready I decided to keep it simple, but add drama with lashes.
Eyes- MAC naked pigment over my lid, with burnt burgundy in the crease (love this for green eyes).
MAC blacktrack fluidline
Maybelline pulse perfection mascara
REVLON Intensifying lashes 99500- add subtle length

Lips- MAC subculture lipliner
Bodyshop Colourglide lipstick in Dusk Pink (No. 42- smells so yummy)

You may be wondering why I would fuss with lashes if I am trying to be speedy, but I will let you in on a little secret, they took less than 30 seconds to put on! These lashes come with adhesive already on them, so there is no mess, no sticky fingers and no time spent dancing around the room, waving them about to get the glue tacky. I just peeled them off, stuck them on, and surprisingly they stayed put all night! Success!!

The downside of these is the adhesive band. For my liking it is too thick, though this makes it easier to adhere and adjust. It is also shiny, so it can look obvious, and I much prefer a clear band. This to me seems strange as these lashes are made to look very natural (especially compared to some of the monstrosities I have previously worn on photo shoots etc.), yet the band would not blend in to the lashline without fairly thick eyeliner.

However, I would definitely recommend these for beginners, as they are much less fiddly and you won't be getting glue all over your eye makeup. Kindly, they come with a little lash applicator, which you can use to make them more secure, or manouevre them down so that there are no obvious gaps between the band and your lashes. There is also an extra adhesive strip so they can be re-used, and after that you can of course use them with your own glue :).

If you are on old hand at false eyelashes, these may not be for you, but I really like them and will be stocking up on a few pairs for those clumsy days when DUO just doesn't co-operate, or if I am in a rush.

Unfortunately, I can't re-use mine, as the second I took them off Maxie mistook them for a spider and decided to chew them to death! I really wish I had a camera to capture the moment he proudly sauntered up to me with an eyelash casually hanging out of the corner of his mouth. With all the stollen brushes, Q-tips and lipsticks I think Maxie is becoming a modern man and has started to build his own make-up collection ;).

Natalya
xxx

Nubar- Going Green Collection.

Since my first experience with Nubar nail varnish was somewhat dubious (remember the matte purple that chipped within hours to end up in my green curry?) I was hesitant to wear it again. To be perfectly honest I am pretty lazy with my nails and just don't have the energy to re-apply nail varnish every day. However, in the interests of all you ladies who are enjoying the green polish trend this season I decided to try a different NUBAR nail polish formula from their new Going Green collection.

 The polish I am wearing here is called Wildlife. It is a very unique colour, and it really has to be seen in real life as it is quite difficult to describe. In the bottle it looks like a golden olive green with a pink duochrome effect. On application the first coat was a little streaky, but with the second it seemed to even out and give a dense colour, which dried fairly quickly to a shiny finish.

I don't own many hollographic nail varnishes and I was surprised by the way it came to life on my nails. Depending on which way you look at it the colours transition from a dark muddy green, through gold, to a bright, pearlescent pink.

Unfortunately, this was difficult to capture on camera, but you can see here how the pink really stands out at the right angles.

Fortunately, I can report that this Nubar formulation is much longer lasting than their matte range and although I did experience a few chips (my nail varnish always chips on the first day be it OPI, essie, china glaze etc.) there was no flaking and peeling of the polish as before.

Overall, if you are interested in green nails for this season I would recommend checking out Nubar's new Going Green collection here as they have a great range of colours and are "3 FREE" as well as cruelty free :).

Nicky Clarke DesiRED Hair Straightener Review

Simple Sunday Makeup and Maybelline Pulse Perfection Review

A very relaxed, quick and easy makeup look to bring out your natural beauty.




Products used:
Maybelline dream liquid foundation
NARS laguna bronzer
MAC ladyblush cream blush

E.L.F. Butte/Pecan cream eyeshadow
MAC feline khol power eyeliner
Maybelline pulse perfection mascara
Bodyshop colourglide lipstick

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!
xxx 

Smart OOTD and high-waisted trousers?

A few days ago I had an appointment and had to look professional. I am probably one of very few people who loves power dressing, and always feels more confident in sky high heels and a tailored suit, but I didn't want to over do it this time. Instead I opted for a floaty cream blouse tucked into navy high-waisted trousers.

Being a curvy girl with an hourglass figure I love the comfort of high-waisted trousers. They almost feel like a corset as they nip me in at the waist while holding my tummy in and ensuring I can sit down without worrying about anything riding down or digging into my hips. After all we have all seen those awful muffin tops in the back of Glamour, which still give me nightmares!

For some these may be a massive no no as they can make your bottom look flat and generally alter your proportions. However, for me they hug in all the right places and fit my shape much better than regular or low rise trousers.

Blouse: ASOS

Trousers: Penelope and Monica Cruz for Mango

What do you guys think of high-waisted trousers? Do you find them flattering?

Colourglide Lipstick

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the recent Bodyshop event and was very much lemming everyone's goodie bags. I was therefore super excited when the lovely Natalie from Headstream kindly sent me some samples to test out and review for you. I have yet to try everything, but the product that has so far really stood out are the Colourglide lipsticks.

For me the most important factors in a lipstick are the colour pay off, staying power and the way it feels on my lips. These tick all the boxes as the formula is lovely, they last pretty well, and are super moisturising. They contain gorgeous ingredients such as marula oil, sesame oil, organic beeswax, Vitamin E, jojoba, rosehip seed and lanolin oil as well as vanilla fruit extract, which gives them a pleasant subtle scent. There is also a great range of colours to chose from (37 on the website) including subtle nudes, hot brights and deep, sultry shades.

It is also interesting to see how wearable some of the shades are compared to the way they look in the tube. I would definitely recommend checking these out in person before purchasing.

For example, shade 62 Velvet Wine looks like a rich dark brown in the tube, but on the lips it is actually a stunning, deep berry red.

To be perfectly honest I would have never even swatched this lipstick if I saw it on display as it looks far too dark for my skin tone. However, I think this colour is a great alternative to the classic red lip and is perfect for autumn. Even my bf commented that it was a really flattering statement lip colour, and given that he normally has absolutely zero opinion on makeup, this can only be a good thing!

As intense as this lipstick is used with a lipliner it did not budge or bleed and lasted a good 6 hours without any touch ups. When I was eating I also noticed that it didn't fade just in the centre, creating that horrible rim of colour you can sometimes get with dark lipsticks, but it left behind an even stain on the lips.

Overall, I have to say I am really impressed with these lipsticks and can't wait to try more colours especially as these are currently on sale on the bodyshop website for £6!!The only problem is I can't chose which ones to get as there is too much choice.

Look out MAC cremesheens, I have a new love ;).

Have you tried any of these lipsticks? Also, if you want me to do a post or video showing swatches of all the colours I have please let me know.

ELF Studio

Naked Bodycare Competition

The lovely people at Naked Bodycare are kindly setting up a competition for my fantastic followers where you can win over £50 worth of Naked products!

The rules are very simple, all you have to do is become a fan of the Naked facebook page, which can be found here, then e-mail your name and the date you became a fan to nakedcompetition@yahoo.co.uk and cross your fingers :).

You will then be entered into the giveaway to win a Naked loaded hamper, but be quick before everyone else rushes in as only the first fifty new fans will be entered into the prize draw.

Good luck lovelies  xxx

Matte nails- Nubar

When I first heard that this season brings with it a trend for matte nails I was excited. After all, it is something fun and new to try, and a great excuse to buy more polishes. I was therefore happy to be given the opportunity to try out the new Modern Matte collection from a brand I had not previously heard of- NUBAR.

These polishes are described as eco friendly because they are free from formaldehyde, phthalates and toluene as well as being carcinogen free, suitable for vegetarians or vegans (not quite sure what they mean by this), and not being tested on animals (yay!).

I received one of their four polishes in the shade Vital, a beautiful deep purple, somewhat similar to one of my all time favourites OPI's plugged in plum.

This polish is very richly pigmented and is opaque after just one coat, though I found that two coats gave it a much deeper colour. It was also a little streaky at first, but with two coats it seemed to even out. The best thing about it was the drying time. It was dry to the touch within a matter of seconds and set in a couple of minutes, which is great for me as I am always doing my nails in a rush. Also, even though the finish is matte it did not look dull as it has tiny flecks of shimmer to give it dimension.

 

Sounds great right? However, one of the most important things for me in a nail polish is longevity, and this one unfortunately did not live up to its promise of a 'chip resistant formula'. After application in the afternoon it started chipping within a few hours, and by the time I had finished preparing dinner  some of my nails had barely half the nail polish left on. I am glad they say this polish is suitable for vegetarians as some of it probably ended up being a 'special' ingredient in my Thai green curry yesterday.

Overall, I would say that for £8 this did not quite live up to my expectations. I loved the super fast drying time, the colour and the unusual matte finish, but it just chipped far too quickly. However, I am determined to make it work so I shall try to invest in a good matte topcoat to improve its lasting power and shall report to you all.

The Modern Matte collection and other nubar nail polishes are available at www.beautyshed.co.uk.

Do you guys have any recommendations for a good matte topcoat? What do you think of matte nails, is it just a passing trend?

Friday night

After living out of a backpack crammed with bikinis and shorts I was excited to rediscover my wardrobe and have a chance to dress up on Friday night.

I decided to keep it simple on makeup, and let my outfit do the talking as this 60's inspired dress is 'psychedelic' all on its own ;).

Jacket: ZARA

Dress: Oasis

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

Hope you are all having a great weekend :).
xxx

New YouTube series: Best colours for your eyes- GREEN eyes

Anyone can wear these colours, but I think they just make green eyes look extra vibrant :).

You know you have a problem when...

It takes you over an hour to clean all your brushes :(.

As Promised...

Hope you enjoy my little slideshow!!
xxx

OOTD

It seems that summer is truly over in London, even before it ever really began. Yesterday the weather was horrendous so in order to stay warm and dry I had to dive into my autumn wardrobe, which was quite a contrast to the strappy tops and hot pants I have been wearing for the last six weeks.

(Please ignore the background.. I still have not properly unpacked and I really hate having so much mess around me.. eeek!)

I decided to go back to basics with black skinny jeans (Rock&Republic) and leather boots (Dune). To brighten the outfit up and add a girlie twist I wore a simple white vest (ZARA) with a lacey short sleeved camisole (ASOS) over it. I then added a structured wool mix blazer (FCUK) to contrast with the feminine top and pushed the sleeves up to make it more modern and casual.

You all know how much I love a big bag, and this one from Coccinelle is pefect for wet weather as it can be firmly closed at the top to protect the inside from the rain, and has a handy zip on the side with a hidden compartment where you can put your umbrella without soaking everything else.

Are you sad to be letting go of your summer wardrobe, or are you tired of dresses and playsuits? I certainly feel like I have been brought back to reality with a bump! Now, let us pray for an Indian summer ;),

ASOS Discounts

This week along with the usual delivery of my ASOS magazine, which I recommend to everyone as it is free and full of the latest trends made affordable, I received a pack of tampax pearl (how very strange!) and a coupon code for a 10% discount. So I thought I would do a super speedy post to share it with you all, in case you are planning on ordering some sexy bodycon dresses, or Balmain power shoulders.

Special offer code: AWSTYLE

My top picks are:
Power shoulder tux blazer, perfect for A/W, this is absolute love!!Boyfriend blazer.. love the long lines and rolled up sleevesJeggings are so comfy and are a great alternative if you can't quite pull off or find the right fitting skinny jean.The silhoutte is still big this season, and I love the way these chiffon sleeves add a playfull touch to this lbd.
What trends are you excited about this season?

I am Baaaack :)

After an 18 hour boat, bus, plane, taxi ride bonanza I am finally back in the UK, yay!

However, the term jet lag doesn't quite cut it. I can't wait to jump into bed and sleep forever! My flat is a mess right now and I have a million and one things to do after being away for over 6 weeks, (including tearing Maxie away from my friend who has been looking after him and now doesn't want to let him go)!

I promise that when I am in less of a frizzy zombie state I shall post more about my trip. I have missed you all very much!!
love,
Natalya xxx