Allow me to re-introduce myself...

Hey guys!

Long time no blog! I believe it's been almost 2 years since I uploaded my last post! The last 2 years have been one of the most stressful times of my life. I was in my final year of university and then had a year of on the job training but I'm happy to say it's all over and with great success!!!!

I've missed blogging and have lots to blog about. I'm planning to revamp my blog as it's well overdue and I feel as I move onto a new stage of life, my blog should reflect this. The main revamp will be regarding the type of posts. This blog started as a place for me to display my love of nail art but I haven't painted my nails since last year for my graduation! Sadly, due to my type of work, I can't wear nail varnish so I only really can paint my nails when I'm on annual leave which would mean very few blog posts. Therefore, I'm planning to write more lifestyle posts and expand my beauty related posts.


 

I've been doing a lot of shopping (nothing new) so expect many reviews and hauls. I'm also going off to Italy soon so I'll hopefully be blogging my trip. If you have any suggestions make sure to leave a comment and I'll see what I can do!

I hope you guys can forgive me for the 2 year hiatus and will stick around for the new and upgraded blog! :)

x x

Courting Trouble*

Hey guys

I apologise for the lack of regular posts. I've been very busy with work and life and just haven't had the time to sit down and blog but I'm back this week with a book review.

I came across Courting Trouble by Kathy Lette whilst browsing NetGalley and was received approval for a copy.

 Description

Tilly has the day from hell when she's sacked from her barristers' chambers in the morning, then finds her husband in bed with her former best friend in the afternoon. She escapes to her mother, Roxy - a sassy solicitor whose outrageous take on men, work and family life is the despair of her more conventional daughter. Roxy comes up with a radical plan for their future - they'll set up an all-female law firm which will only champion women who have been cheated, put upon, attacked, ripped off or ruined by the men in their lives.

In court, Tilly finds herself up against Jack Cassidy, the smooth-talking, politically incorrect, legal love god who broke her heart at law school. Jack is fluent in three languages – English, sarcasm and flirtation… but if he's so loathsome, then why is she committing Acute Lust in the 3rd degree?

When a case lands on the doorstep that threatens to change all their lives, Tilly finds herself dangerously close to taking the law into her own hands… Will Jack's cunning ways and expertise in emotional break and enter derail her quest for justice? Or will the women take on the boys… and win?

Thoughts

When I read the description I wasn't quite sure how I would find this book as it's quite different to what I usually read (it's more of what I would watch) but since I'm trying to read different type of books I decided to try it. And I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint. This is the first book I've read of Kathy Lette and it probably won't be my last. She has a hilarious, sarcastic, witty way of writing which is just my kind of humour.

Another reason why I liked this book is that it's taken an important, relevant topic about women equality and made it relatable. This is a must read especially if you're all for feminism and women equality!

You can find this book at Amazon and is available to pre-order.

Tip Top Nail Polishes Review*

Hey guys

This review is super late. I received these over the Easter holidays but back then I was preparing for my exams and super stressed that I wasn't even blogging then. I just remembered I hadn't written up my review for the polishes (only mentally) so here it is.

I received 5 polishes from them, 3 'normal' ones and 2 'special efffects' ones.

 

They are a South African company who were looking for bloggers to review their products and I'm always looking for new nail polishes to try so I contacted them to see if they wanted UK bloggers.

I've only tried 'No Way Rose' and 'Feeling Blue-Tiful' properly and so far I'm liking them. They also contain Vitamin E, which is good for the nails so helps strengthen them as well while having the polish on. I've gone 3-4 days with them and no chipping which I have to say is amazing as I've tried so many polishes, even those that claim to be chip free for 7 days which turn out not to be. However, I have found that they do need a couple of coats which is slightly annoying.

Unfortunately, I don't see as of yet where in the UK you can buy their polishes which is a shame as they have a beautiful range of colours and would be interested in purchasing a few of them.

However, you can check out their website to find out more about them and where you can buy their polishes if you're fortunate enough to live in a place where they are sold.

Has anybody else tried Tip Top nail polishes? If you find somewhere that you can buy them from, do let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Bésame Lipstick Review*

Hey guys

Last month I received a lipstick* from Bésame to review. I must say, beforehand I was not aware of this brand but I saw they were looking for beauty bloggers so I got in contact.

They are company specialising in vintage cosmetics which explains the delicate design of their products. When I first opened the package I was taken aback by the design of it. I've never seen such a beautiful lipstick case and it comes with it's own little cute bag to carry it in.

 

This lipstick is in shade Dusty Rose. It is a shimmery pink shade. 

 


I tend to love matte polishes which this isn't but I quite like this one as my lips are quite pink, this lipstick leaves my lips looking nicely polished so it's great for everyday wear. It lasts quite a while considering it's not a matte lipstick, about 4 hours.

RRP is £22 which is standard high end price which I personally find a bit pricey for any lipsticks as I don't wear them everyday, but considering the vintage design of this lipstick, £22 seems a reasonable price. 

They have a nice collection of shades of lipsticks and also other types of cosmetics which you can find on their website or you can find a list of stockists here

Have any of you guys tried any Bésame products? What did you think of them and which ones would you recommend?

Thanks for reading! 

Manicure Monday + MoYou Stamping Kit Review*

Hey guys!

It's my first Monday in ages that I haven't spent in the library and I know it's been ages since I've done a manicure monday so I thought I'd start again but this one's a bit different as it includes a review of a stamping kit I receive from MoYou nails.

I've been wanting to try stamping for ages so I was happy when I was contacted to try out this kit. I had tried stamping before but the one I previously bought was absolute rubbish.

I received the Kitty Set (RRP: £24.99) which contains 1 black nail polish, 2 image plates, 1 stamp and 1 scraper. The only difference in mine was that I was able to choose the colour of my nail polish and I picked lilac as I surprisingly don't own one despite purple being my favourite colour.

 

As it was my first time stamping I decided to keep the design pretty simple but I am looking forward to trying out new designs with this kit and I'll be sure to share them with you! 

Sally Hansen nail polish as my base colour

So far, I'm impressed with the kit, especially the nail polish. It's great quality, and good for stamping as it nicely transfers onto the stamper from the plate and then onto the nail and the design doesn't chip off. 

I would highly recommend giving MoYou nails a visit. I'm hoping that they bring out some new colours so that I can buy a few of their polishes but I'm sure I'll be getting a few more of their stamping plates.

Have any of you tried MoYou nails? What did you think of them? Any fans of stamping? Do let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Bourjois Healthy mix Serum Foundation Review (GUEST POST)

Hello everyone! My names Sophie and I write the blog CosmeticsCase. Today I am going to be writing a post all about my favourite ‘Holy Grail’ foundation- Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation.  It’s not very often that I settle down to one foundation and pin point it as my all-time favourite but I feel like I have tried so many and they have never seemed to be just right. For me it’s like Goldilocks where she try’s all the different porridges and finally finds the right one. Okay…not quite Goldilocks and breakfast but you get my idea.

With Healthy Mix Serum Foundation on my skin. Powdered with Natural Collection Pressed Powder

Foundation- Shade 52.

Brush I use.

So I tried the original healthy mix foundation and wasn’t really a huge fan because although my skin is oily I have dry patches around my nose and I found it really clung to them which I was shocked about because so many people (with dry skin) had said it worked really well for them on dry skin. However for Christmas my mum brought me a few Bourjois pieces and I was quite hesitant to try the serum because I typically like really matte foundations and I didn’t think that it would work with my typical needs from a foundation. However the first time I tried it I fell in LOVE.

The foundation is hypo-allergenic which is good for people with sensitive skin. It claims to last for up to 16 hours but I would say it lasts 4 hours without needing powder which I expect normally because my skin is so oily. However before the foundation begins to really wear off I would say it last about 11 hours but then I take my foundation off by that point anyways.

I love the foundation for many reasons. Firstly its drugstore and super affordable which is a bonus because I thought that I would have to spend £20+ before I found an amazing foundation. It retails at £10.99 which although it’s at the higher priced end of the drugstore my bottle lasted me just under 4 months using it most days as I haven’t changed foundation since only for probably about a week.

Another reason I like it is for the smell because although I typically like a non-scented foundation this smells so fresh. In case you are wondering I use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush and just put the foundation of the back of my hand and then use a circular motion to apply it all over my face.

As for coverage with the foundation I feel like it provides a medium coverage and my skin isn’t the best I do have a lot of spots and imperfections. You can build this foundation because I have when my skin has been worse and it hasn’t looked cakey at all it looks really fresh and natural. I feel like this is a foundation that looks better over time which I love because I think over the day it looks nicer and nicer.

While all the factors above are part of the reason I love the foundation I mainly love the fact that this foundation provides a general healthy glow but provides such a flawless finish on the skin. It covers over everything so smoothly. I love this foundation for when my skin is looking dull because it instantly picks up my skin. There is a good colour range too however it doesn’t cater for a really dark skin tone. I do tend to powder it but that natural glow still shows through which I like. Overall I love this foundation and there isn’t one thing that I don’t like about it.

If you have tried this foundation let me know what you think.

Buy Here:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Thank you for reading my post let me know your thoughts and if you purchase it. If you have any questions about the foundation you can email or tweet me.

Love Sophie xo

BLOG: cosmeticscase.blogspot.co.uk

BLOGLOVIN: http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10368183/cosmetics-case

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/cosmeticscase

EMAIL: sophie.lou@msn.com

Written On Her Heart Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway

Hey guys

This post is part of the Written On Her Heart (WOOH) blog tour!

This book written by Paige Rion is the first installment in the Callaway Cove series. 

Blurb

Andi Callaway has dreamed of becoming a published author her entire life. 

Ford Delaney has always wanted nothing more than to escape his past. 

An opportunity of a lifetime. This is what Andi finds when she returns home to Callaway Cove on summer break. A chance to work for her literary idol Ford Delaney is up for grabs, and she’s willing to risk everything—her boyfriend, her best friends, and her education—to get it. 

She’s positive this will be the key to reaching her dreams. But the moment she begins working for the reclusive author, Andi realizes there’s more to him than just a name. As attraction builds between Andi and Ford, she begins to discover consequences must come hand-in-hand with something great—which could loosen control over her tightly wound life. And once romantic sparks fly, Andi’s other relationships start to crumble, Ford’s fame comes back to haunt him, and the heat they generate will either forge a powerful, enduring love or threaten everything she holds dear. 

My thoughts (with no spoilers of course)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I basically finished it in two days (postponed reading my textbooks...haha).

I would highly recommend this book as it's a light-hearted read which will have you rooting for Andi (the main character). I found Andi easily relatable as I feel most girls will be as we all want to achieve our career goals but then are also looking for that special person to share our life with (that's about as sentimental as I'll get...)

About the author

Paige Rion is a contemporary romance author. She’s a mother, wife, blogger, hopeless chocoholic, coffee-addicted, wine-lover. Her debut, novel—a new adult romance—Written On Her Heart, is the first in the Callaway Cove series. The next in the series is to be released this summer. She loves connecting with readers on her blog and social media. You can visit her website at http://paigerion.com/

You can also connect with her here:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaigeRion_books

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpaigeryan

Where to buy

Amazon Kindle:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JPOXIB0

Amazon Paperback:  http://www.amazon.com/Written-Heart-Callaway-Series-Volume/dp/1497403316/

Kobo:  http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/written-on-her-heart

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/written-on-her-heart-paige-rion/1119235191?ean=2940149230297

Smashwords:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/429647

 

GIVEAWAY

Prize 1

 Paige Rion deluxe tote. Your choice of either Paige Rion/WOHH t-shirt or “Team Ford” t-shirt. WOHH mug with quote. A signed bookmark and a mini Paige Rion candy box!

Prize 2

WOHH t-shirt. WOHH mug with quote. A signed bookmark and mini Paige Rion candy box!

Prize 3

 An exclusive WOHH iPhone 4 case. A white mug with genuine Paige Rion signature. Signed bookmark and mini Paige Rion candy box. (If winner does not have an iPhone 4, they will receive prize 4 and another winner will be drawn).

Prize 4

 10 more winners will receive a signed bookmark and a mini Paige Rion candy box!

Due to shipping costs, US ENTRIES ONLY (sorry non-US readers).

(Giveaway is moderated by the author)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm pleased I was able to be part of this blog tour and hope you've enjoyed this post.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out this book! If you do let me know how you find it!