e.l.f lilac
I’m still feeling mad at August. It rained all month, and so far, on the morning of the 3rd of September, we appear to have had more sunshine than we did in the whole of the last month. Humph. So, I thought I’d better post this polish for you now, as the sun is out, and whilst some of you might still 
be feeling pastel shades.
In fairness actually, this isn’t a sickly-sweet pastel as has enough grey in it to make it more of a year-round polish. The more e.l.f. polishes I try, the more I like them. I am fascinated by how they can keep producing such good quality consistency polishes for only £1.50.
Lilac was perfectly opaque in two coats and it applied like a dream. I wore this to a wedding a month or so ago where I was wearing a purple dress, and the contrast of the light purple looked great (if I do say so myself). I added some
Illamasqua Harsh to the tips because I wanted to glam it up a little for the wedding, plus it has been forever since I used a glitter, and Harsh is definitely one of the best glitters I own.
So there we go. People looking for a cheaper version of OPI’s Done Out In Deco shouldn’t be too disappointed with this. e.l.f. Lilac falls somewhere between the cracks of DOID and OPI’s Do You Lilac It, which I am unable to get a decent photo of.
So, well done e.l.f. Now, if you could only push the boat out and develop some funkier shades I would be even happier. How about some greens, or glitters, 
or purples?
This product was sent to me for review purposes.
e.l.f. nail varnishes retail at £1.50 each for 10ml, and can be purchased here.
Helen
Tried & Tested: Liz Earle’s new haircare range
Today Liz Earle’s much anticipated hair care range goes on sale online and in its shops. It is initially available from its flagship London store and its Isle of Wight headquarters, before John Lewis officially sell it to the buying public in four days time.
Since I reported on the launch two weeks ago, I’ve been throughly trialing the products to see how they measure up to its promises.
Just like Liz Earle’s fantastic Cleanse & Polish for the face, which works on all skin types, the same has been created for the hair. With West African shea butter, natural source vitamin E and naturally derived cleansers, this botanically based shampoo gently cleans without stripping to leave hair soft, shiny and smooth. Containing apple and orange extracts to restore natural shine, there are eight essential oils to leave your hair smelling clean and fresh and best of all, there is no sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate – the nasty stuff that essentially damages your hair.
As far as shampoos go, this is not your conventional product with conventional instructions. It’s not a case of simply squirting some shampoo and massaging into your scalp. Using Liz Earle’s new haircare range is a skill and I freely admit I’ve got it wrong a number of times.
The first time I used it was the morning after the launch and as per instructions, I rubbed a small amount between my hands and massaged into my scalp before a rinse and applying conditioner (for oily hair) from mid-length to the ends. The result was amazing – healthy looking hair with shine, no greasy roots or dry ends and all with the satisfaction of natural ingredients.
Then came attempt two and attempt three. Disaster. No healthy looking locks that I couldn’t stop running my fingers through. Instead my hair looked limp and greasy. Of course I did something majorly wrong – I used too much shampoo. As I have fine hair that’s often greasy, I don’t need to use a lot of shampoo. In fact, I mustn’t. With conventional shampoos, I don’t think twice about shampooing my hair twice but with Liz Earle’s range, less is more. There is only one shampoo for all hair types so you adjust the quantity of product accordingly.
Now the big thing with this shampoo is there isn’t much lather to it and when there isn’t much of that, I can’t be sure it’s covering each and every strand, which is why I made the mistake of shampooing twice albeit with tiny amounts. The lather increased on the second shampoo but it led to too much product in my hair.
So let’s hammer this home – Liz Earle’s new haircare range is highly concentrated. Only a tiny amount should be used and only one wash. When there isn’t enough lather, simply add more water.
I didn’t feel like it was working because my hair was partially shampooed but the formula thoroughly washes through your hair and after blow-drying, I was relieved to have my hair feel and look healthy again. And that is all there is to it.
I am inclined to continue to use this range as it doesn’t contain the toxic list of ingredients other shampoos do. It does feel like your hair has been cleansed deeply but don’t expect masses of soapy suds. It’s about stripping your hair bare and being kinder to your follicles. It’s also extremely good value for money. I’ve spent in excess of £50 on shampoo and conditioner in the past, only to be sorely disappointed.
Liz Earle’s haircare range comprising of shampoo and conditioner is priced at £7.50 each for 200ml. To order online, visit www.lizearle.com.
Sheenie
Models Own Misty Grey
Well well, the first of September is here already. Can you believe it? Where has this year gone to? Well, I know the summer has passed by in a whirl of 
hen parties and weddings but I still can’t quite believe it’s September. Does this mean that we’re into autumn now?
If we are, then I am excited about the fact that I can start cracking out the vampy shades again. I have worn some darks over the Summer, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just something that feels kind of right about putting on a rouge noir-esque shade as the leaves start to turn.
What I also want to know is whether grey is going to stick around for yet another season. Regardless of
how fashionable it is, I love a nice grey polish, so I don’t really care how trendy it is – I’m going to keep on wearing it.
And here’s a particularly lovely specimen for you. Models Own Misty Grey. I didn’t succumb to Nubar’s all-grey Fortress collection earlier in the year, but had I done, the lighter greys were definitely the ones that appealed. And Misty Grey is no exception as I absolutely love it.
As you can tell from the odd lengths of my nails, these photos were taken a while ago. I believe (and I hope the trolls are reading this) that my nails are now more uniform and in a better state than they have been for a while. But I’m catching up on old manicures as well as posting new stuff.
This is two coat Models Own perfection, with lots of pigment, and no pooling and dragging. It practically applied itself, dried fast, and on the many times I’ve worn it over the past year or so, always goes the distance, lasting for a good few days before starting to look tired.
So what do you think? Are you still into grey nails?
Helen
Some Storage Photos
A little Bank Holiday (picture heavy) fun for you. Several people have been asking me recently to post some photos of my storage system(s), so here you have it. And now, whenever I whinge that I can’t buy any more cosmetics, you can see why. There’s no room. Time for a bigger house, I feel.
First up, the nail varnish.
This is the bookshelf in the spare room. It does still contain books. And fourteen -litre storage boxes £5 each from Staples). The ones reaching up to the ceiling are the “trieds”, sorted by brand, and the ones on the shelf are the “untrieds”, also sorted by brand. I used to have them organised by colour but then it all just got out of hand. The cream box holds my jewellery. The beige bag contains treatments etc and the blue box on the top shelf contains stuff like backup bottles, fake nails (in case of emergencies) and so on. Oh, and the eagle-eyed among you will have spotted the bag containing fascinators and other wedding / special occasion paraphernalia.
And I might as well show you the boxes in a bit more detail:
Tried OPIs
More tried OPIs
Tried "anything that comes in a box", plus Barry M and other bits
Tried Models Own & Nubar
Tried GOSH and assorted items received from swaps
Tried Zoya & Bourjois and some untried OPI mini sets
Konad, decals and other sadly neglected nail art items
Tried Nails Inc, BB Couture & China Glaze
Untried Zoya, flakies, Leighton Denny & Diamond Cosmetics
The box that needs attention! Untried China Glaze, untried swap items and other one-offs
Untried Models Own, GOSH and Nubar
Untried "anything that comes in a box", Color Club, Barry M, Eyeko & H&M
Untried OPI
More untried OPI
And, although you mainly know me for my love of nail varnish, I also have a huge weakness for all things make-up. I had so much lying around the house that recently I re-invented my storage system and bought three of these drawer sets from Staples. I think they were about £13 each, and stand at a foot high.
Many lip glosses, mainly the same colour. Feel ashamed of quite how many there are.
Bronzers, blushers and highlighers
False eyelashes. Several of.
Illamasqua eyeshadows, plus a MAC lip palette that sometimes lives in my handbag
Loose / Mineral eyeshadows
Random assortment of eye products
Sleek & Illamasqua palettes
Stuff that gets used most frequently - NARS, Benefit, Victoria's Secret
Essential daily stuff - brushes, mirror, mascara, primer, eyeliners etc
Beauty UK – Smokey Violet
What a turn up for the books. I’d never even heard of this brand until earlier in the year, when I was browsing Superdrug for some offers. I had to put together the prizes for a quiz that we conducted during a hen party in July and seeing as I was put in charge of this, I just knew that the prizes were 
going to be beauty-related! Imagine going shopping for 24 beauty products – bliss!
So once I’d spied this one, I kind of knew that selfishly, I’d be keeping it as a little prize for myself. It’s utterly gorgeous and I cannot believe that it was on a “buy two for £3″ offer in Superdrug. Amazing. And even if it didn’t turn out to be one of the best discoveries I’ve had this year, I figured that at £1.50 each, I wasn’t losing a lot.
So, the colour. It is a very pale grey/purple
hybrid (also known by me as “grurple”. At first I wasn’t sure about the application as it was quite thin, but by the third coat I had perfectly smooth and lovely looking creme nails. This is like OPI’s Parlez-Vous OPI‘s anaemic cousin (and I mean that in the most complimentary way!)
The wear stunned me. This lasted four days, and to be honest, could have gone longer had I not needed to change it for something perhaps more work appropriate (I had an external meeting – I can wear any shade I want to my office). This has to be one of the most hardwearing polishes I have ever tried, and I 
don’t say that lightly.
It really helped that the colour was one that I was happy to wear for a while. This kind of shade never gets old or boring to me and I actually found that I was a bit sad after the four days had elapsed and I needed to change it. I think I could have stretched it out for a day or two more but I was conscious of other polishes sitting there in the untrieds box saying “love meeee too!”
I am definitely going back to Superdrug to get some more of these. They normally RRP at £1.79 but I got two for £3.00. Check out their recently launched website here – there are some quite exciting colours that I am looking forward to trying!
Helen
The Holy Grail of Lip Glosses
In my hand I’m holding Nars’s Metis. I’ve waited two years to be reunited with my absolute favourite lip gloss. Why? Well for two years I was led to believe this had been discontinued. It’s no exaggeration; I have waited exactly two years. I remember distinctively going to more than one branch of Space NK and into Liberty’s as well as Harvey Nichols, only to be told this colour was no longer available. However, I could purchase it as part of a duo, the other shade I had but funnily enough, didn’t like.
I was sold an alternative choice by the girl at Harvey Nichols, but it wasn’t the same. Then a few weeks ago, a thought occurred me to search for this lip gloss on the internet in case it was available on an online cosmetics store. My investigation led me to Nars’s official website.
I’m so pleased to have this lip gloss (a shimmery pink nude) but I don’t understand why you can only buy it through Nars’s website. I thought the shade had been re-introduced but a quick check in a random Space NK store and sure enough, Metis wasn’t for sale.
Can anybody shed any light on this mystery? It’s baffling, not to mention I am slightly annoyed I’ve been deprived of this lip gloss for 24 months!
Sheenie
**UPDATE**
As requested, here are further images of Metis, including a swatch. There isn’t a scent to this, nor an odour.
swatch of Metis
Rococo Molten Lava
This nail varnish was my last sneaky purchase before embarking on the pre-wedding no-buy. If you are like me, a total shopaholic, you’ll be familiar with that feeling of seeing something in a shop, liking it, wanting it, talking yourself out of it, going home, obsessing about it, going back to the shop, 
buying it. That’s pretty much exactly what happened here.
I purchased this under the justification that I don’t actually own any Rococo polish, and also with the suspicion that it might make rather a nice wedding manicure.
Unfortunately, this notion was shortlived, as I proffered a one-finger swatch of this at the fiance, who proclaimed it to be “fungus”. So whilst I don’t usually take his opinion on various nail varnishes (we are talking about the man who described the
legendary Sephora by OPI Metro Chic as “bland” or Dior’s cult Lemon Balm as “drain gunge” here), I thought it was best not to start married life with a set of manicured nails that only one of us liked.
To me, Molten Lava makes me think of reds, oranges and bright shades. You know, like lava..! But I’m not complaining, as this is a glorious nail varnish. This was three coats of a great jelly consistency that contains tons and tons of gold and silver shimmer. It is like a more foily version of China Glaze’s Stellar that I loved so much last year.
This is mega hardwearing as well, thanks to the metallic finish. I had tipwear 
after four days that made me want to take it off, but the less discerning user could have stretched this to a week.
On a side note, I wore this nail varnish to a blogger event a while ago. There was no mention of “fungus”, and many people admired my nails, wishing to know what this lovely shade was. So there we go. Not fungus after all.
Helen
Barbara Daly Goodbye Yellow
I’d like to bring your attention to this little bottle by Barbara Daly. It’s called Goodbye Yellow and its purpose is to simply say goodbye to the dreary staining left on nails caused from nail polishes.
Aiming to give nails an instantly clean and healthy appearance the product contains a unique whitening ingredient to leave nails stain free.
I picked this up in my local largest branch of Tesco, curious to see if it lived up to its name. Layer on a coat of this prior to applying your nail polish or simply leave it as it is. Goodbye Yellow leaves an almost satin finish, and acts as a smooth canvas so it’s also a base coat.
I’ve been using it for a couple of months and have noticed the staining has been greatly reduced. It also dries fast but best of all, as a base coat it doesn’t appear thick or lumpy. A problem I’ve had with other base coats is the consistency often leads to an uneven surface or worse, air bubbles and once that goes wrong, the rest of the manicure is doomed.
At £3.94 for 11ml, Barbara Daly’s products are religiously affordable. The design of the bottle itself is beautiful; I really like the feel of it. All in all, a winner. I suggest you add this gem to your staple diet of nail lacquers.
Sheenie
20 Questions…featuring Clare from The Brighter Sparks
One of the things I love most about being part of Handpicked Media is the fact that it brings me into regular contact with other beauty bloggers around the UK. There are a billion beauty blogs from all over the world, some better than others, and what I have found with the Handpicked collective is a bunch of extremely likeminded people, focussed on quality writing, and timely news and reviews. So, without further ado, today’s 20 Questions features Clare, the brains behind a great blog which is also part of Handpicked Media. The Brighter Sparks is a must-read if you are remotely interested in a grown-up approach to beauty, style and fashion. Check it out here!
1) Why did you start your blog?
I’ve always been into beauty. Some of my earliest memories include creating “perfumes” from flower petals and water, making homemade face masques with fruit and honey, “experimenting” with fake tan and spending far too much time trawling through Just Seventeen and Vogue for tips and tricks of the trade. My first boyfriend’s mum was also a beauty therapist so she introduced me to many a high-end brand and taught me how to do a great manicure – something which has always come in handy! Over the years I found myself dishing out beauty tips and advice to friends and colleagues so the blog seemed like a natural progression.
2) How long have you been blogging for?
I started the blog in April 2009 so it’s recently celebrated it’s first birthday!
3) What do you enjoy most about blogging?
Discovering new products and being able to share my excitement (or disappointment) with others. It’s always great to hear people’s feedback too. Everyone is different so what works for one doesn’t always work for another. I’ve also found that since writing the blog I’ve become a lot more experimental with my look. It’s easy to get stuck in a style rut but being able to try out lots of the latest products mean you can be a lot more daring than you would normally be. Makeup should be fun and it’s good to remember that.
4) What frustrates you most about blogging?
Not having enough time to do it! I travel quite a lot with work so it’ sometimes hard to find the time to fit it all in. But I’m lucky enough to have some other lovely writers on board who can write about all of their favourite (and least favourite!) products too.
5) How much time a week do you spend on your blog / reading other people’s blogs?
My day job can be full on and I often work long hours and late nights so I try and find time after work and on weekends to write and I really enjoy taking time out to do it. I have a few favourite blogs that I always check in on once or twice a week to see what they’re talking about – it’s good to see what other people are in to. You’d be amazed how many different opinions there are on all the latest products!
6) What advice do you have for aspiring beauty bloggers?
Go for it! It’s a fun way to be creative and to meet other lovely beauty fanatics.
7) What other hobbies/interests do you have?
Music is my other big love. In my day job I work on international music festivals including Exit, Melt!, The Garden Festival, Spirit of Burgas and the Berlin Festival. I’m lucky enough to get to travel a lot and listen to heaps of incredible bands and DJs. This year I’m off to 10 festivals so it’s going to be a busy summer!
8 ) How many bottles of nail varnish do you own?
Actually not that many! I try and do a clear out every season – out with the old and in with the new. Nail polish has a way of getting a bit gloopy if you keep it for a long time. I’d say I have around 20 bottles. Current favourites are Essie ‘Lilacism’ and ‘Tart Deco’, OPI ‘Mad As A Hatter’ and Nails Inc ‘The Thames’.
9) Do you set yourself a shopping budget, or do you purchase on an as-and-when basis?
I WISH I could stick to a shopping budget! Sadly I spend far too much on beauty products – but if they are working their magic and helping me to look younger for longer then I’m happy 
10) What is your favourite make-up brand, and why?
Oooooo tough choice! Laura Mercier’s mineral range is fantastic, Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara is a firm fave, Givenchy’s limited edition seasonal products are always beautiful and I love Paul & Joe’s pretty, vintage-inspired bottles and packaging. The list is endless – I don’t think I can pick just one.
11) Do you ever leave the house without wearing make-up?
Only if I’m very hungover (!) and need to pick up some essentials from the corner shop. But if I’m away on holiday I often go out with a ‘naked’ face – it’s nice to give your skin a break, especially in the sun.
12) What is your favourite beauty product and why?
I think I answered this above… My desert island product is definitely mascara. It’s the one thing I could never do without!
13) What is your favourite nail varnish of all time? (yep, only one!)
I chop and change my mind far too much to have an all time favourite. The one I’m championing this year though is OPI Mad As A Hatter. A festival must-have!
14) Tell us about the best holiday you’ve ever been on
Every year I head to Ibiza with a bunch of my friends and it’s always amazing. We hire out a huge villa with private pool and spend a week eating great food, discovering new parts of the island, chilling out and talking endless amounts of nonsense. We always fit in a party or two as well but try and stay away from the main clubs as they’re a bit hectic – the White Isle is about so much more than that!
15) What would be your ideal day off?
I think I’d start the day with a bike ride along the canal stopping off at Bistroteque to have a delicious brunch with friends. Then I’d check out an exhibition or two to get my cultural fix before a spot of shopping around Brick Lane. There’s so many great vintage shops around there and I never fail to find something lovely to wear. After all of that shopping I’d be in need of a bit of pampering so I’d pop to Shoreditch House for a lovely mani and pedi at the Cowshed Spa and maybe even indulge in a cocktail or two. Next, I’d head back home to London Fields and meet then gang for vietnamese food at The Green Papaya before heading out for a little dance at one of East London’s many nightlife haunts. Lovely.
16) What is your favourite TV show?
I don’t watch much TV to be honest but I have got into Glee lately. Very comical viewing!
17) What music do you enjoy listening to?
All kinds of stuff! Caribou, LCD Soundsystem, The Juan Maclean, The XX and Fever Ray are a few of my favourites but I also listen to a lot of electronic music – house, techno and nu-disco.
18) What is your favourite food?
Eggs Benedict for brunch – yum!
19) Where would you most like to visit in the world? (money no object)
There are so many places on my wish list! This year I’m going to be ticking a biggie off my there though as I’m heading to the US for the Burning Man festival. I’ll spend a few days in San Francisco visiting friends, a week at Burning Man in the Nevada Desert and will then travel to see the Grand Canyon and spend a few days chilling out in Lake Tahoe…can’t wait! Next year India I hope.
20) Tell us a secret…
Oh I couldn’t possibly! Someone might read it
Thankyou Clare! Remember, if you have a blog, and would like to feature on Just Nice Things’ 20 Questions, then please send us an email to the usual address!
Win a 3 day make-up course from Illamasqua
You may have picked up on the beauty circuit that Illamasqua will be opening the doors to its first flag-ship store next month. In the heart of the west end, the store will also be home to its school of make-up .
To celebrate, Illamasqua are running a very exciting competition. The prize? A 3 day make-up course including 2 days accomodation in a central London hotel worth £575.
To enter
Simply download the face chart and produce a design under the theme of ‘Unpredictable’ from the Illamasqua Facebook page or the Illamasqua blog.
You can use make-up, paint, materials… the more creative and daring the better. Tell us all about your influences and why your design is considered “Unpredictable” and you could be in the chance of winning this amazing prize.
Please submit your Face chart design entry by Competition Closing Date: Monday September 13th 2010
Please send entries to:
Illamasqua School of Make-Up Art Competition
Illamasqua
6-8 Amwell Street
London
EC1R 1UQ
Alternatively, you can scan in your entry and send it to school@illamasqua.com
The Winner will receive:
- Complimentary place on the Building Creativity 3-Day Course at the Illamasqua School of Make-Up Art, London W1.
- Complimentary Travel: [within United Kingdom]
- Paid Rail /Air fare to/from London
- Daily London Transport travelcard to attend course
- 2 x Nights Hotel Accommodation [Zone 1] during 3 day course
- 20% Discount on Illamasqua Product range
- Select the date you want to attend
Terms & Conditions
UK Only entry
Minimum entry age of 16 years
Be sure to put your contact details on
Unfortunately face charts cannot be returned
Good luck! If you win, be sure to come back and tell Just Nice Things!
