Festive NOTD MUA Constellations & Maybelline MNY

I received these gorgeous nail polishes as part of a very lovely Secret Santa gift.  I got the MUA Constellations in Scorpio and Maybelline MNY nail varnish  in 553.  I have never used the Ciate Xaviar or any dupe so was really excited to try this and the MNY polish too as I hadn't tried that range either and this is SUCH a pretty colour. The nails painted with MNY only have a Seche Vite topcoat in all photos but only the first photo shows the Constellations without topcoat.

Now, in my opinion the Constellations looks cooler and more 3D without the topcoat but frankly I don't think they would last long - maybe OK for a one night only thing.  With topcoat I am 3 days in with VERY little fallout and I'm chuffed.  They are so festive and pretty and the MNY is a really pretty colour. The topcoat seems to give the little beads a more metallic look too (removed some of their colour very slightly maybe?) but still a very cute look and they look like little Christmas lights.  Yeah maybe I'm a bit too much in the old festive spirit here but it's December, right?

Most photos courtesy of my iPhone in my too-cosy-to-get-out-of-bed-to-get-the-camera-bedroom.

Without topcoat

With Seche Vite topcoat

So there ya go!  What do you think?  Have you tried any of these and liked or disliked them?  I can't wait to try more of both range and think this might be my nail look for my trip to NYC next week...

Special thanks again to my SS if you're reading this xx

LoubouLush x

Jewellery Haul - Bargain Topshop Freedom

Just a quickie from me this Friday eve. Popped into Topshop t'other day and found they had a sale on! And this is my mini haul. Full price it would have been £22.50 but it came to £5.50 in the sale.

I also picked up a super soft long white vest which had been £36 full price down to £3! To be fair, it was never worth £36 but still...

I love me a good bargain : )

 LoubouLush x

NOTD - £1 Revlon Top Speed Polish in 605 Royal

I'll keep this short.  I snapped this and some other Revlon polishes up in Poundland for £1! I was thrilled with this bargain.  This particular one is a gorgeous shade and pretty opaque.  IT last much better with the Seche vite topcoat though I like the matte natual finish it gives.  I did findit doesn't last very long - maybe 4-5 days with the topcoat, 1-2 without so I'd onyl go without if I was wearing it for a special occasion/to match an outfit.  Stil limpressive for £1 don't you think?

This is the polish with Seche Vite Topcoat (shiny finish!)

This is the natural rubbery matte look finish which I liked the look of but struggled with its lack longevity.

LoubouLush x

Halloween 2012 - Ghost Bride

A bit late but in case you didn't see it on Twitter - here is this year's Halloween costume:

The dress - eBay - approx £25
Tiara - Claires Accessories - approx £3
Veil - eBay - 99p
Flowers - Dunelm - £2.99 (some black eyeshadow added to dull them down a bit)
Make up - Illamasqua white foundation mixed with a little Bourjois Healthy Mix, lots of random black and red eyeshadow for shading, white Rimmel eyeliner pencil and the feather eyelashes were from TK Maxx ages ago and also used in this costume. I also used "rigid collodion to make a scar on my neck but you can't see it very well in these photos I'm afraid, sorry! I love putting costumes together rather than using the generic shop bought stuff but sometimes time isn't on my side!

What did you go for this year?

LoubouLush x

PS Forgot to add a pic of my nails - white Barry M nails polish with a random dark red added with a hair grip for dripping blood.  Some heart shaped sequins from Poundland added to some of the other nails with Seche Vite to seal it all in!

Christmas Party Dresses 2012

It's November so the Christmas Countdown is ON! Here is a sort selection of some party dresses that have caught my eye recently.  some of the picture quality isn't great but click through to see each dress in it's full glory.


Probably my favourite of them all and if I can find a valid discount code I might just order this in black right now! ASOS Sequin Cowl Dress (available black, green and pink) £75 from ASOS

I love spotty mesh/sheer sleeve dresses and think this is fantastic version.  Probably not great on a pear shae like me but super cute all the same... Louche Spotty Dress £65 from Joy the Store

Again probably not great on a pear shape but I'm loving oxblood shades at the minute and this looks like it would be great for the berry shades of the festive season. ASOS Cocktail Wiggle Dress £50 from ASOS

Another cute take on the spotty mesh sleeve.  With a flattering peplum and velvety velour it should be perfect for Christmas and also has M&S "drop a dress size" technology.  The only let down for me is the zip.  Eeeep.  Drop a Dress Size Velour Peplum Spot Dress £59 from Marks and Spencer

If you want to cover up your legs this winder this is a very pretty maxi dress which is more formal than your usual beachwear maxi. Ellen Lace Maxi Dress £100 from Oasis

If the first option isn't glitzy enough then this definitely ticks that box.  Stunning dress with a very Angelina leg split!  Slightly pricier at £250 but it could be one of those dresses you have forever. Ozlem Sequin Maxi Dress £250 from French Connection

What's your favourite?  Please share your festive frock ideas...

LoubouLush x

Greys and Stripes

Not my usual sort of post but I've been a away for a bit and this is something I've been spending some time on.  Our house is a newish build and most of the walls are still their original magnolia.  We'd toyed about with the idea of striped carpet on our stairs and landing for a while and have finally bit the bullet and done it.  This is the before...

And this is the after!

The stripes aren't for everyone I know but I like them.  

New Stuff

The walls are Eglise Grey by Crown Petit Palais and inspired by this post on Florence Finds blog. Who knew finding the right grey would be so difficult?  It is quite a subtle grey but we were worried about going too dark.  The new light fittings are "prism collection pendants" from Dunlem Mill for £19.99 each.  The carpet is from Carpet Right.

Existing Stuff

Photo frames are from Ikea and the butterfly picture was a gift from Mr L from Etsy I believe.  The hall table is from Argos and the mirror from Dunelm.  The black floor tiles were super cheap ones from B&Q about 6 years ago! Chadelier upstairs from Laura Ashley.

What's left?

I'm going to change the lamp and have a new coat hook thing ordered which I will put up soon!

So there you have it. I hope you like it as much as I do.  Now I just have to try to remember I'm not allowed to wear shoes upstairs *huffs*

LoubouLush x

Two weeks later...

This summer Models Own Lilac Dream has become my "go to" nail polish. I have taken to teaming it with Models Own Lilac Fantasy (has it been discontinued?! Can't see it online - boo). No painted fingernails of mine are complete anymore without my obligatory Seche Vite topcoat.

So after a super busy couple of weeks it struck me yesterday that I've been wearing this combination for 2 weeks.

All in:
1 x Barry M Base Coat
2 x Models Own Lilac Dream
1 x Models Own Lilac Fantasy
1 x Seche Vite Top Coat

2 weeks for a non Shellac/Gelish etc is good going non?

Well I'm very impressed. Minor chippage isn't even that bad IMO. Still going to remove today...

What's the longest you've got out of a manicure/polished nail?

LoubouLush x

(first and third pics, early on - other two were yesterday - posting this on my phone and can't seem to reorder *rolls eyes*)

DGJ Organics - Glossy Brunettes

Hello lovely readers.  I hope you’re all well and don’t letting the miserable weather drag you down – or is it just NI which feels like it’s been steeped in rain for the past few months?

Thankfully I am here to bring good news.  Well a good review at least.  I have for about a month now been using the DGJ (Daniel Galvin Junior) Organics Glossy Brunettes Range of shampoo and conditioner. As you might have read in previous posts I wash my hair every day so was excited to try a new hair care range but more importantly one which was organic and hopefully kinder to my hair.

First off I’ll give you some information on the brand itself:

Daniel Galvin Jr is an established hairdresser with a passion for organic and a star studded client book.  He is also the son of Daniel Galvin Sr, also a hairdresser with over 50 years experience in the industry.  Daniel Galvin Jr has combined his passions by entering the designer hair care market and put his own organic twist on it. The idea behind the brand is to have the designer salon professional range through an organic product.  The products themselves are brought to the shelves by British manufacturer NPD Medichem.  So what does all this mean for the consumer?  Hopefully a good quality product which has been created, used and approved by people who know what they are talking about and wouldn’t risk associating themselves with something low par...

Initial thoughts

I like the idea of organic things.  Who doesn’t?  However I was a bit dubious too.  Organic often seems to equal expensive.  Maybe when it comes to organic food it equals better taste.  When it comes to organic products which are normally heavily reliant on chemicals, I must admit I wasn’t sure it would do what it said on the tin (or bottle).  

The packaging is nice and simple - not too in your face.  They purport to contain “cocoa bean and walnut” and “develop and enhance depth of colour and shine in dark and auburn tone”.  The shampoo aims to protect and encourage longevity of colour for brunette hair. I was hopeful but as I say I felt this was quite ambitious for an organic range.

Shampoo - brown, Conditioner - white 

What it’s like to use

I’ve used hair products before that do not contain SLS (Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulphates) or parabens and being honest I found them hard work.  I found getting a lather so difficult and maybe it’s entirely psychological but I don’t really feel like my hair is clean unless I’ve felt that lather.  I was surprised to find this shampoo lathered really well.  Not just well for an organic one but just generally... really well.  For a good lather I tend to wash and rinse twice which may or not be a bit harsh on my hair but with this I didn’t feel a bit worried about it.  The conditioner worked well too and wasn’t at all heavy on my hair after I’d used it - sometimes I find this can be an issue for my greasy hair .  Both have a nice but not overpowering smell.    

My hair has felt very soft since starting using these.  I cannot claim that my hair is noticeably shinier but I do feel like it is more healthy and has a bit more bounce.  I have used the conditioner almost every wash as it is so light and I feel it really compliments the shampoo.  Overall I am very impressed with both.  

Overall

There are few if any downsides. The cost is something else I have been pleasantly surprised by.  Given it is an organic salon brand I would not have been shocked if it came with a bigger price tag.  As it stands both the shampoo and conditioner are £5.99 each which I feel makes them a real contender for a part in an everyday hair routine.  Would I buy these?  Yes I would and am keen to try other variations from the brand - Hangover Hair is next of my wishlist.  Would I recommend them? Yep and I have already to a couple of friends. Downsides? Locally they don’t seem to be widely available but they are available online but delivery charges make it less ffordable. You can buy directly from http://www.dgjorganics.com/ but with a £7.99 shipping charge I think I’ll keep looking around!

Have you tried any of this range?  What did you think?

LoubouLush x

These products were sent to me for my consideration for review.  As with all my reviews this is completely my own honest opinion.

NOTD OPI La Pazitively Hot

Here's a quick NOTD or NOTW for you.  I'm sure I've featured this polish before but as part of a  different type of post and thought I'd give it a bit of a bigger shout out.  I bought this polish completely on a whim to match a wedding outfit from about 3 or 4 years ago.  I didn't pay a lot of attention to it other than it was a good colour match for the dress.  

It's really one of those polishes that I have that I forget just how nice it is. It's a beautiful shade with a bit of a violet iridescence through it which is difficult to capture in the photos but is noticeable in real life.

It's a keeper and apart from being a bit of a pest for wearing away a little at the tips early on it's hard wearing a a good solid go-to polish for the summer.

What sort of shades to you have as a good fall back for summer?

LoubouLush x

Flo & Percy Find

I'm not sure if I'm the only person who does this but a thought about something I own will pop into my head and I'll have a sudden panic of "Oh my God, where is that!?". This happened the other day when I was reading that Flo & Percy designed the wedding headpieces for Una and Rochelle from The Saturdays. I bought my headpiece from Kirstie too (look at little young me at the very bottom, cringe) so that means I'm practically a member of The Saturdays *cough*.

Then I realised I had also treated myself to a rather fantastic necklace from Flo & Percy a few months after my wedding and I HAD NO IDEA WHERE IT WAS. After some frantic searching this morning I found it lurking at the bottom of the drawer and I thought I just have to share its fabulousness.

    

Isn't it beautiful? They have some absolutely stunning designs on their site so it really is worth a look. I experienced great customer service there too. It is even prettier than I remembered and probably far too glamorous for me but one thing is for sure, this will now have pride of place in my new jewellery drawer. Note to self: stop being so careless!

LoubouLush x

Tiara/headpiece from Flo & Percy