Green-Blue Gradient Nails

Gradient nails have been on my to do list for a good while now and I've finally got around to trying it. I really like the way it came out. To do it I applied the lightest colour and then dipped a makeup sponge into the next darkest colour and sponged it onto my nails. I repeated with each colour until the darkest colour making sure that they blended together. It's not perfect but I think it looks good for a first attempt.

The colours I used were (in this order):
OPI Gargantuan Green Grape for the base colour
OPI Mermaid's Tears
OPI Fly
OPI Ogre The Top Blue

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor! - Powerpoint Eye Pencil Review and Swatches

MAC's Powerpoint Eye Pencils are very soft and creamy, the apply without dragging and last all day. I really like them. They don't smudge all over the place so I would hope that they would be good for the Summer months, especially with them being released with a Summer collection. They provide intense, opaque colour with one swipe and can be smudged before it sets. They aren't fully setting pencils, if you touch them, they will transfer but they stay well if left alone. They have such a pretty finish, there are pearlised particles in there giving a lovely sheen.  You might find that the gold is dupeable but the green is quite unique as most green eye liners seem to lean more blue or are darker. Bare in mind that these are not waterline safe although I've used the gold one on mine before I found this out and it was fine. If you have sensitive eyes, please don't use them inside your eyes. It is your choice whether to ignore MAC's warning though but it is probably a good idea to take notice of it.

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor! - Shore Leave Lip Pencil Swatches

Shore Leave is a warm toned light pinky coral. It is the Pro Longwear formulation so has really good staying power, I lined the around my lip shape and applied lipstick over it and in on the rest of my lips and this lasted longer than the lipstick, leaving a bit of a ring around my mouth - make sure to fill in your lips too so it grips the lipstick everywhere! It is slightly drying, you may want some balm to soak into your lips before applying but it would be best to blot it off before applying the pencil to make it last well. It applies nicely as it is creamy but it sets on the lips, it actually feels a little tacky compared to regular lip pencils, probably to help hold your lipstick on for longer.

L-R: Shore Leave Lip Pencil, Sail La Vie Lipstick

Have you tried the Pro Longwear formula?

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor! - Sail La Vie Lipstick Swatches

Sail La Vie is a lovely reddish orange in a satin formula. It was quite hard to photograph, it is actually more orange and doesn't appear glossy like in the lip swatch. It is similar in tone to Scarlet Ibis from the Iris Apfel but they are not dupes. It is very comfortable on my lips and glides on effortlessly. It would work on a large range of skintones and would look fantastic as a statement bold lip. It is also perfect for the Summer.

L-R: Shore Leave Lip Pencil, Sail La Vie Lipstick

What do you think of this colour?

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor - To Catch A Sailor Lipstick Swatches

Sail La Vie is a golden tan lipstick with a frost finish. It is not a colour I would normally go for but there is something about it that drew me in. I'm still not entirely sure about it, I might just use it for layering over corals and orangey lipsticks for a different look. I think it might look better on me if I have a tan or with some bronzer although it could be that I just need to get used to wearing such a different colour. I've seen it on fair skinned girls and it looks lovely and I bet it would be amazing on dark skintones too. You could also layer it over nude shades.

So what do you think of this colour? Is it something that you would wear? What do you think I should wear it with?

Jennifer xx

I'm off on holiday!

Hi everyone! Just to let you all know that I am going away on holiday for a week. I'm going with my boyfriend and his family for a canal holiday which I've never been on before so hopefully I enjoy it. I'm taking my camera with me so I might share some photos when I get back. In the meantime while I am away, I have scheduled some posts to go up throughout the week, one almost every day so I hope you all enjoy reading them. They are all quite short and mostly pictures as I've stupidly left it to the last minute to write them. There are more reviews on the MAC Hey Sailor collection and a nail post coming up towards the end of the week.

When I get back, I will have a post on the SensatioNail gel manicure kit which I've applied for my holiday. I hope they last through all of the lock opening and dog walking I will be doing.

After that, there will be more Indie nail brands popping up here and there. Also a skincare routine post, as requested by one of my readers and my May favourites.

If you have anything you would like me to post on, leave me a comment or drop me an email and I will try my best to get something together. It can be anything, makeup/nails/hair/skincare or even some personal questions.

Anyway, I hope you all have a good week and I look forward to posting again when I get back!

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor! Fleet Fast Blush Review and Swatches

After binging out on all of the Tres Cheek blushers (if anyone wants a review on any of them, leave me a comment and I will get one up for you) I intended not to buy any of the blushers from Hey Sailor... that didn't work though haha. I bought Fleet Fast and it is such a perfect natural colour on my skin. I simply love it.

My new love with MAC's blushers is their satin finish which has been in the latest blush offerings. They are perfection in a pan, I honestly can't rave about them any more. I've always been a bit wary of matte blushers on my dry skin and I usually prefer a bit of shimmer. The satin finishes that MAC have come out with recently have just looked so flawless on everyone's skin that I've seen them on and I know that a lot of people are really chuffed with them. They give such a natural finish which doesn't look completely matte, instead giving skin a slight sheen which actually looks just how skin should - not caked in makeup.

Fleet Fast has some fine gold shimmer in it which is quite subtle on the skin - you can see it but it is far from being a glitter bomb on your face. It is very flattering. I adore the colour too. It doesn't seem all that unique but the formulation is what makes it a must have for me. The shade is somewhere between pink and coral but with an earthiness to it. It gives my cheeks a natural flush which also appears like I've been in the sun, I love it.

It also has really good staying power, lasting almost all day on my skin - bearing in mind that I have dry skin so it might not work as well on normal to oily skin types.

So if I can recommend that you try something from this collection, this would be one of my top picks.

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor! Au Rose Suntint Review and Swatches

Suntints are products that MAC tend to put out with Summer collections, there were some with last years Surf Baby collection but I skipped them due to lack of pigmentation. This year, 3 new shades are available and I chose Au Rose which was the most pigmented of the three.

Some days I just want a subtle colour on my lips which will also moisturise so tend to go for balm which has a little bit of a tint in it. Au Rose is a pretty pink coral with gold shimmer and would be flattering on all skin tones. The amount of colour that shows depends on your natural lip colour. My lips are quite pink naturally so I don't get much colour added to them, Au Rose just makes them look healthy and glossy with pretty gold shimmer. I really like it and have been wearing it for the past couple of days.

It is really comfortable on my lips, it isn't overly sticky like a gloss but does have some tackiness. I've not had my hair flying into it though. It lasts pretty well on me even through eating and drinking, a good few hours later it is still hanging around and the shimmer lasts longer than the balm. It is not the most moisturising balm but while it is on my lips it provides enough protection to not let them dry out. My lips are very dry so most balms aren't enough to deal with them.

The Suntints also have the added bonus of SPF 20 which is great for the Summer (if it ever stops raining in the UK!). Using a balm with an SPF in it will ensure that your lips are protected through the heat. They are also very easy to apply, simply by squeezing the tube and out it pops from the plastic applicator. I love how they are fuss free so no need to dip fingers or brushes into a pot and you can clean the applicator when needed.

Jennifer xx

MAC Reel Sexy Lipstick Review and Swatches

I love this colour! Coral is my favourite lip colour to wear. Reel Sexy is such a beautiful lipstick, it is creamy and pigmented and applies so easily. It doesn't dry my lips and looks pretty close to one of my favourite lipsticks, MAC Jazzed which came out nearly two Summers ago. It is not quite the same as Jazzed, Reel Sexy is more pigmented and more opaque and it is an Amplified finished apposed to Jazzed which is a Cremesheen. It appears brighter on lips so it needs blotting down or dabbing on to make it look closer to Jazzed. I bought two tubes because it is a colour I wear so often and I'm happy with it. I find light coral to be a colour which looks both bright but natural, strange really.

Jennifer xx

Wishlist Wednesday Vol 3

1. Real Techniques Brushes

These are the newest brushes from Samantha Chapman's (one of the Pixiwoo sisters) line. I really love her brushes and I was thrilled to hear that new ones were going to be launched. I will be buying all three at some point to add to my collection. The new brushes include the Setting Brush (pink handle), Expert Face Brush (gold handle) and the Fine Liner Brush (purple handle).

2. Nails Inc Jubilee 3D Glitter nail polish

I love glitter nail polish and this has red, blue and silver (pretend it is white) to make a great patriotic polish designed to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year. It also has a special crystal cap and comes gift boxed. £15

3. Nails Inc Piccadilly Arcade Nail Jewellery Top Coat. 

It is green... full of glitter... need I say more? £11

4. Macadamia Natural Oil Get Hooked Pack

I went to the hairdressers on Saturday and was told that my hair was looking a bit damaged (which I knew before I went). She told me that it could be to do with stress or not having my hair cut for a few months. I've read some good reviews on the Macadamia products and would like to try them to see if they help my hair recover. The pack contains a 30ml Healing Oil Treatment and a 30ml Deep Repair Mask which sounds like a great way to try the products without buying the full sizes. £9.95

Jennifer xx

MAC Hey Sailor Crew Highlight Powder Swatches & Review

Now, before I start this review, I wouldn't have bought this had I not seen it in store and swatched it. I just wasn't bothered by it before but really liked it after I tested it out. I'm glad I got it because it is so pretty on my skin.

I've been really into highlighting lately but already have a few of them so didn't want to bother with this. I also thought that there was an overspray on it which would come off after the first use and make it another bog standard highlighting colour. I still don't know if it is actually an overspray - I'm not willing to go digging through the powder to find out - but it is quite thick if it is so will last a while. I've used it a few times and it doesn't any different in thickness than when I first got it.

The powder is made up of three shades, all of which are impossible to select individually as they are so thin. You can choose an area if you prefer though but I've been using it all swirled together. It is actually very well pigmented for a highlighting powder and works nicely as a soft blush on me. I didn't imagine that the payoff would be as strong as it is. I really like it as it gives a glow as well as a blush. Darker skin tones may find that it only works as a highlighter with a pink tone to it.

I actually really love this powder, it looks so nice and natural on my skin. It is one of the best colours I own on me. I like that it is not a high shimmer finish, giving more of a glow than high sheen or frost, making it suitable for a wide variety of skin types and shouldn't emphasise pores. I have dry skin and find that the powder lasts a whole work day with some slight fading. Normal to oily skinned people might find that it doesn't perform as well on them though. I really hope the colours work all the way through the powder although I'm not sure that they will do as most of MAC's powders like this don't. Even if it doesn't, I think the beige shade will look good due to the great finish.

The three top colours swatched, the last swatch being the whole powder swirled together.

I would recommend that you try this powder in store if you get the chance in case the colour doesn't show well enough for your liking.


Just to confirm, the pink, peach and lilac are not an overspray. In fact, the beige is the overspray but it is quite thick. Temptalia has dug into her powder and discovered that the colours seem to be arranged in a similar way to Benefit Sugarbomb so in other words, there are chunks of each colour which meet up and then the beige is sprayed over the top in a thickish layer. I don't think the colour will change a whole lot when the overspray is worn down :)

You can see Temptalia's review with the photos of the excavated powder here.


Jennifer xx

April Favourites

I haven't done a monthly favourites post in a while now so it is about time that I did one. These are the products I've been using a lot during April - a bit of a neutral and coral theme running through it.

1. Illamasqua Cream Blush - Lies
This is a very light frosty pink shade which is really a highlighter. It is a lovely colour and works really nicely. I dab it on with my finger and blend it out across my cheek bones. I've been really liking highlighting recently, it makes my skin so glowy. I find that this blush lasts pretty much all day for me but I do have dry skin so if you are oily then it might not last as well on you.

2. Illamasqua Brow Cake - Thunder
I think I've found a really good product and colour for my brows, I love using this. You can see the area that I've been using the sealing gel on, this way I can still use the product dry from other areas. I've even used this as an eye shadow to deepen the crease.

3. Illamasqua Sealing Gel
I've been using this with my brow cake. I first used the brow cake dry and liked it then decided to try the gel and it makes a much crisper brow and makes it last all day. It can also be used in the eye liner cakes.

4. Topshop Blush - Head Over Heels
I LOVE the Topshop blushers. They are creams but they set to more of a powder finish without looking like powder. They give a glow to the skin and just look really nice. They can be subtle or built up for a more dramatic effect. I have most of the colours in the range and hope they bring more out in the future.

5. MAC Eye shadows - (clockwise from top) All That Glitters, Naked Lunch, Amber Lights
I've been quite neutral on my eyes recently. I've been loving these colours, they are very flattering and can be worn with any other makeup without worrying if it will match.

6. 17 Wild Curls Mascara
I've been using this every day. I did a review about it for Liloo at Le Petit Jardin de Liloo here.

7. MAC Lipsticks - Jazzed (top), Ever Hip (bottom)
Coral is one of my favourite colours to wear on my lips. Jazzed was my first MAC lipstick so it holds a special place in my heart and I hope they repromote it one day. They are quite similar but Jazzed has more of an orangey tone whilst Ever Hip is more pink. My pictures don't really show the difference accurately, it is more obvious on the lips.

Left column - Illamasqua Brow Cake Thunder
Middle column top to bottom - MAC Amber Lights, MAC All That Glitters, MAC Naked Lunch,
Topshop Head Over Heels, Illamasqua Lies
Right column top to bottom - MAC Ever Hip, MAC Jazzed

Jennifer xx

Fixation Polish - Blood of the Dragon

Today I have another nail polish from an indie brand, this time it is Fixation Polish. There are four colours available from Fixation Polish at the moment and they are all gorgeous and filled with beautiful glitters. I'm looking forward to new colours in the future as I will definitely be purchasing from the brand again.

This one is called Blood of the Dragon. It is a lovely deep mossy green jelly filled with a ton of glitter. There are gold, bronze, copper, brown and red glitters in various sizes. It applies really easily and the glitter doesn't sink to the bottom of the bottle - no crazy bottle shaking or fishing out the glitter needed. It is a really pretty and unique shade.

Jennifer xx

BeautyUK Eye Shadow Palette - 04 Earth Child

I like bargains, who doesn't and this is a pretty good one. The BeautyUK palettes retail at £3.99 (under 40p per eye shadow) and are available in Superdrug. For that price I decided to give this one a go as it contained colours which I use most days.

The pigmentation is pretty good in most of the colours. I don't expect perfection for only £3.99 so I think it is really good for that price. The shadows are soft and easily blendable, the only colours I had a little problem with were the light grey (second left on bottom row) and the beige (second from right on bottom row) as they were on the sheer side. The best ones were the coppery brown and gold shades from the top row, they were both highly pigmented and very smooth - both are metallic so that probably helps.

So if you are looking for an inexpensive palette with some pretty neutral and earth tones in it then this might fit the bill. It also comes with a thin mirror under the sponge applicator which is just big enough to see your eyes in so might be useful for touch ups if needed.

Jennifer xx

Candeo Colors Sprouse

I have another great colour from Candeo Colors, an indie nail polish brand. It is made up of large and small matte black and matte white hexagonal glitter, black and white bar glitter, medium sized royal blue hexagonal glitter, medium silver hexagonal glitter and holographic shimmer all suspended in a clear base. I love it. I said in an earlier post about Nubar's Polka Dot polishes that I love these black and white glitter polishes. This one is even more special because it has the blue glitter and holographic shimmer thrown in. It looks fantastic over lots of colours.The quality is great too, it applies like a dream and the glitter doesn't require lots of shaking to mix it because the suspension base is so good.

MAC Hey Sailor! Eye Shadows Review & Swatches

I was pretty excited about MAC's Summer collection, which I have liked for the past couple of years too. This one is nautical themed and I love that. There are some beautiful pieces in this collection and there should be something suitable for all skin tones - there are neutrals, brights and bronzers plus a couple of navy blues which could be used for smokey makeup. There are different textures from mattes, frosts and shimmers and also some true Summer products such as the Sun Tints, Body Oil and Zoom Waterfast mascara if you're by the pool on holiday. There are also some longwear products which may help makeup last in the hot and humid Summer months.

L-R: Feeling Fresh, Jaunty, Barefoot

I picked up three eye shadows, Jaunty (light yellow beige, frost finish), Barefoot (tarnished gold, veluxe pearl finish) and Feeling Fresh (bright green, frost finish). All are such great colours with excellent payoff and I recommend them all. Jaunty and Barefoot have a smoother texture, in fact Jaunty feels like it is also a veluxe pearl as it is so smooth. Feeling Fresh is a little grittier as it has some sparkle in it - the sparkle is not chunky though so don't worry, it wont be dropping all over your face and it applies very evenly and smoothly.

Special Outer packaging

Special Outer packaging

Feeling Fresh

Jaunty

Barefoot

L-R: Barefoot, Jaunty, Feeling Fresh

I love these and can see myself using them a lot, especially Barefoot and Jaunty as they are such wearable every day shades. Jaunty is the perfect wash of colour whilst still being neutral and soft.

Jennifer xx