the best nail polish?

I love Essie nail polishes they are quite a thick liquid formula so you can get away with just one layer which gives a completely streak free finish. Recently they have launched their new Autumn range which is available in large Boots stores, I kept popping in to have a look and all the colours are lovely but I really wanted the colour called 'for the twill of it' which kept being sold out so I was very happy when I went in last week and they had it in stock. It sounds like quite a strange colour in certain lights it appears green but when the sun shines on your nails the purple comes through. I have had this polish on for quite a few days now and even while I have been at work it has still managed not to chip which is quite a miracle for me!

These are £7.99 but are definitely worth the money I've collected some Boots advantage points recently so going to treat myself to one of the other new polishes from the Autumn collection.

Thanks for reading
                             Katie xxx

Soap & Glory Review

I absolutely love Soap & Glory I have been a fan for many years, each birthday and Christmas I get bought  the Clean on Me Creamy Clarifying Shower gel as it really is the best shower gel I have ever used. It comes in a 500ml bottle which lasts ages! you don't need to use much as it is really creamy so you only need to use a couple of pumps of this for your whole body. It smells gorgeous as this is the original shower gel it uses the signature soap and glory scent, it also has an inbuilt body lotion in it so its perfect if your in a rush as they is not need to apply moisturiser after as it leaves your skin really soft.

More recently they have been extending their make up range, which I'm definitely wanting to try some of their new releases. I don't tend to repurchase make up as I'm always wanting to try new products but this summer I bought the One Heck of a Blot powder twice and have been very impressed, for my oily skin I wouldn't say it controls oil as well as my Mac Prep and Prime finishing powder but for the money its really good! For £12 you get a fine powder that has a ever so slight yellow tinge to it but this stops your skin from looking ashy and makes your skin look much more healthy looking plus you get a mirror so its handy for on the go application. I also found even when I had only applied a BB cream that when I used this powder over the top my skin looked much more even toned and airbrushed. The only problem is with this powder is that I don't think its very long lasting I find after a few hours my skin gets a bit too shiny but because it is a fine powder you can reapply it throughout the day without it looking too powdery on the skin.

However I bought my first Soap & Glory product I have been disappointed with this is the Scrubatomic Amazing Daily Face Polish. When I first used this I was amazed at the smell, it has Peach and GoJuice extract in it so I was excited for my face to smell like peaches but what I didn't think at the time was that it is highly perfumed. It is a similar product to the Clarins Facial Cleanser it is a creamy texture with small micro beads but unlike the Clarins Cleanser the micro beads are quite harsh on the skin. On the packaging it says that it is a daily polish but I would definitely not use it everyday as it strips any moisture from the skin and made my skin really red and sore, also because it is fragranced it has caused me to have quite a few spots. I have definitely learnt a lesson from this when it comes to the face check on the packaging to make sure it isn't highly fragranced and also when it comes to cleansers if you find one that suits your skin then stick to it. So when payday come I will be back at the Clarins counter.

Thanks for reading

                               Katie xxx

Santorini

This post is going to be a bit different, I went on holiday in July and had the most amazing time, I went to Santorini which is one of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been too that is why I wanted to write this post about it as I would definitely recommend  anybody to go. I stayed in the village called Perivolos which is full off fish restaurants and bars it is next to the more popular resort Perissa, it is actually quite hard to know where Perivolos ends and Perissa starts as they are joined together as most of the entertainment is along the beach.

  It is a Black beach which I was nervous about before I went as I had never been anywhere with a black beach but actually added to the beauty of the island. Perissa itself is full off lively bars, restaurants and shops but be warned that their nightlife starts much earlier, people go to the bars straight from the beach. It was quite a shock at first walking along the front at about 5pm seeing girls and guys dancing because at home you wouldn't see that until at least 11pm after many drinks have been consumed. That is what I loved about Santorini, it is so laid back by 10pm everything starts to go quiet and everybody chills out in the more laid back bars.

It also suits all budgets you can easily go there and not spend too much money but on the other hand theirs plenty of quite upmarket wine bars and restaurants if you are wanting to splash the cash. We found a lovely bar called Dorians which we ended up going to most nights either before or after our evening meal. It is such good value for anybody on a budget, cocktails starting from 3 euros and wine only 2 euros!! You would expect the drinks to be pretty awful for that price, but they were lovely I definitely recommend the Margarita and the Mojitos. Nearby the Restaurants are really great some of the best restaurants I have been too abroad, Charlinas is a very traditional Greek restaurant and the service we received was spectacular they were so welcoming and even made my mum a cake for her birthday, theirs a great choice on the menu I had the Lamb Kleftiko which completely fell off the bone and was gorgeous. Phillipos is a very similar kind of restaurant and the tomato balls are the best on the island. If your wanting a change from Greek food theirs Sirocco which is one of the best Italians I've been too, I went here a few times and every time the dishes were cooked too perfection and the chocolate soufflé is a definite must for chocolate lovers.  

Normally I'm not one for day trips, I just want to laze around the pool or the beach but here that changed I just wanted to see everything! I went to Fira one day which is on the west of the island, its 250m away from sea level so you almost feel on top of the world. It has spectacular views across the sea, In Santorini you will find many yachts which we liked guessing which celebrities could be on them. The town is bustling as its full off cafes, shops, bars and restaurants. I came from Fira thinking it couldn't get any better but then a few days later we went to Oia which is the most breathtaking place I have ever been too in my life, it was truly magical I know that probably sounds silly but that is one of the only ways I can describe it. Like Fira it is a town high up which is full off cafes and shops but what I liked is that it had lots of different art galleries and museums. Oia is famous for its sunset which is suppose to be one of the best in the world so because of that it attracts lots of weddings and honeymoons, its also been voted the third most romantic place in the world. On the day that I went I was fortunate to see a photo shoot for a wedding catalogue, it is perfect for photo shoots as the views are stunning all the buildings are white with blue domed roofs and with the sea in the background its the ideal place for a photographer. I'm no photographer but I couldn't put my camera down I took sooooo many photos here, here is just a few that I took I really wanted to write this post as I think people are a bit put off about going to Greece with their financial crisis but actually because of this they need your money more and will actually treat you like royalty, we got so many free drinks and deserts because they really want you to keep going back. If this makes one person book a holiday to Santorini I will be very happy indeed as it is one of the best holidays I've ever had. It has something for everybody nightlife, beach, bars, great food, wine vineyards, museums, art galleries and its also famous for its archaeology.

                                       

Thanks for reading
     
                            Katie  xxx

A natural make up look

This is an ideal make up look when your wanting to look natural and youthful so it would be ideal for when you've got work or for school as it doesn't take much time. On my skin after I had cleansed and moisturised I massaged the Laura Mercier oil free primer into my skin, you don't need to use a brush for this just use your fingers. Then I applied Bare Minerals matte foundation as this is a powder foundation I used quite a large powder brush to apply it then blended it in with my real techniques buffing brush. I find that all you need is two quite fine layers of this is all you need for daytime. I then used my Rimmel wake me up concealer under my eyes to hide any dark circles this concealer is a creamy texture and illuminates so its perfect for under the eyes. It comes with a applicator so I dot it under my eyes and then blend it with my finger. For any blemishes I use my benefit boi-ing concealer as this has much more coverage, just lightly pat this down on any spots you may have  theirs no need for blending in as this will wipe the concealer away from the area you need to disguise. I then just lightly contoured my face with the bourjois bronzing primer I applied this using my Real Techniques Contour brush just under my cheekbones blending it right up to my ear.

For my eyes I used both of my Urban Decay eye shadow palettes, I used Foxy from the Naked 2 palette over my eyelid and slightly under my eye using a blending brush this is just a pale nude colour. I then slightly contoured my eye by used the Naked eye shadow from the first Naked palette which is just a light brown shade, I blended this using the same brush into my socket and blending it slightly upwards until I got my desired effect. To create a bit of definition I used Smog which is a mid brown with slight orange undertones (which makes blue eyes stand out more) just on the lash line using my Real Techniques Detailer brush. Lastly I coated my top eyelashes with Loreals False Lash Flutter Mascara, I left my bottom as I wanted my eyes to appear larger and more fresh faced. For my eyebrows I used Elfs Eyebrow kit in Ash it is a complete dupe of the Benefits eyebrow kit and only £3.75! It comes with a powder, wax and a angled brush. Then to complete the look a slapped on a little bit of Loreals Glam Shine 6 hour lipgloss in Forever Nude.

Thanks for reading

               Katie xxx

Cleansing routine

I admit I have always been really lazy when it comes to my cleansing routine in the past, I've always been a wash and go kind of girl and relied on make-up wipes at night which has not been so good for my skin. As I am getting older I actually want to take better care of my skin and want to not have to slap on so much make up to feel confident. I have discovered quite a few new products that have made a big difference to my skin its not perfect as  I have a lot of acne scarring from when I was younger but I definitely have been feeling less afraid to be seen without foundation on.

•  The first step is a good cleanser I love Clarins they do such a good range of skincare suitable for all different skin types I have tried a couple of their cleansers but my favourite which is suitable for oily skin is the Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser for combination/oily skin types. It comes in a 125ml bottle for £18, but it lasts ages as only a tiny pea sized amount needs to be used, I use this day and night, it foams up and is quite a creamy texture with gentle micro beads that gently exfoliate. It leaves your face feeling so clean but glowing at the same time as it is not harsh on the skin and is suitable for people with sensitive skin.
• I have never really used serums but I recently got some samples of the YSL Forever Youth Liberator concentrated serum and thought it made my skin feel lovely it made my skin tone look more even and made my open pores appear smaller. Sadly though it is £61 for only 30 ml so when I saw the advert for the Loreals Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum I thought I would have to give it a try as it a fraction of the cost at £13.33 for the same 30ml. I'm not going to lie and say it is as good as the YSL version but it has made my skin feel much better, more softer and I have noticed that pores after a few uses are getting smaller but the only thing is that it doesn't even my skin tone but for the price as it is on offer currently at boots I would recommend it.
• I follow this with my Avon Daily Correcting Lotion in the day as it moisturises but also fights spots, its just a nice simple quite light moisturiser that doesn't make your face look too shiny. I finish this off with a quick spray off with the Eau Thermal Avene Water Spray, not everybody has to do this step but my skin can get really irritated by new products, the weather anything but while I've been using this my skin has become a lot less patchy and inflamed, I definitely would say to anybody with sensitive skin to buy this! You can get it from most large boots stores for £6.50 for 150ml.
• The other products are not stuff I use daily but I thought they were worth mentioning I have used the Clearasil Ultra Blemish and Marks Wash and Mask, I use this more as a mask when I'm more blemish prone and need a quick fix as it does reduce redness and within a day spot size does reduce. Only problem is that it does make your skin more sensitive.Another good product is the Body Shop Seaweed Night Treatment Gel, I use this at night instead of a  normal moisturiser, its very much like the Avon Correcting Lotion but a bit more heavy on the skin.
• I hope I have helped and as I am new to blogging just leave any comments below if you have any suggestions

Thanks for reading 

                Katie xxx

ASOS wishlist

I've had a week off work but have packed that much in that I haven't had time to have my usual daily look at the ASOS website, so I finally had some time to relax and thought I would have a look. The website definitely reflects the weather outside the darker tones have come out usually I shy away from darker colours as I never used to think they suited me but I think this year is for change and I have decided to embrace the dark reds, greys and moss greens. I thought I would show you some of my favourites that I would love to buy for this Autumn.

 

I'm sorry but these jeans just look soooo comfy! I think you could wear them in loads of different ways, for a more night time look you could pair them with heels and and a crop top or with a cute jumper and ballet flats when your just simply hanging out with the family. I think their a real bargain for £38 I have never bought ASOS jeans before but I'm definitely going to purchase these as I've heard really good things about them.

                                                   Sleeveless Cardigan with fluffy fabric £40
Now this is what i was talking about when i mentioned dark red, it just looks so cosy and warm yet stylish I would wear this with just a simple tee and skinny jeans.

                                              Johnny Loves Rosie Opaque Diamond stud £20
I've been loving colourful jewellery at the moment it just livens up a simple outfit making it look as though you haven't tried too hard.

                                                               Oasis Lace Skater Dress £60
This dress is from Oasis and would be perfect for most events in the build up to Christmas, really glam it up with heels and a statement necklace or partner it with a leather jacket and some heeled ankle boots to grunge it down.

                                           The Sacred Hour Collection Nail Varnish £14.50
Now my last one is this Illamasqua nail varnish which their nail varnishes are award winning and chip resistant and this one is part of their new sacred hour collection it is just a beautiful colour very ethereal. It also comes in a different colour but iI think I want to try this one first.

Thanks for reading
                             Katie xxx

current favourites.

Ahhhhhh this is my first post, I have wanted to start blogging for quite a long time now but have never had the confidence to do so until now (big smiley face). I would like to start by telling you about my favourite products beauty and make up. It was recently my birthday so I was bought a few treats which some of them I have been absolutely amazed by so they will definitely feature on this post.

• I think the start to any look is a good base so a good foundation and primer is crucial to me, I have oily skin which can be an absolute nightmare! I know I shouldn't complain it means I wont get as many wrinkles when I'm older but I just find that my skin oxidises throughout the day making my foundation look darker and caked on which is not a good look! Recently I have found some great products, one that will not be new to anybody is the Laura Mercier oil free primer its made such a difference to me, my make up now lasts all day it feels lovely on the skin and definitely slows down the need for powder touch ups. This primer combined with the Laura Mercier silk creme foundation is my go to when I'm going out anywhere nice when I want full coverage and need it to be long lasting.This foundation has got a great option of colours I have the rose ivory as my skin is more pinker toned but even on days when I'm wearing fake tan I find with a bit of  Bourjois bronzing primer gives an incredible flawless finish. To really keep the lasting power I use Macs Prep and Prime loose powder as it is such a fine white powder that blends perfectly into your foundation and finish it off with a little spray of Urban Decays de-slick setting spray.

• Mascara time! who doesn't want their lashes to be voluminous,curled, and have definition. This summer I went to Santorini on holiday and everyday I relied on Max Factors false lash effect waterproof mascara. I've bought this mascara every summer for the past few years, its completely beach proof and the name is true it does give a false lash flutter the only grumble I have with it is that its a very wet consistency, so be careful when applying but once its dried its brilliant.

• For my birthday I received a House of Fraser voucher so i went shopping the day after and spent ages looking around the beauty department I just wanted to buy everything! I ended up buying the YSL glossy stain 103 its part of the new rebel nudes collection fronted by Cara Delevigne. I LOVE this lip product it just glides on lovely with not one little bit of stickyness and its got good staying power, as when the gloss has eventually worn off it leaves a stain. I liked all the colours but selected this one because I wanted a nude colour that was a bit more berry toned as I naturally have quite dark lips and found this would be perfect now autumn has arrived.

• I've been a huge fan of Marc Jacobs perfumes for a long time now they are all quite easy to wear girly scents so when I opened one of my presents to find the new honey perfume I was delighted it smells so nice, the honey smell is quite subtle so its not too sweet and the bottle will look so cute on my dressing table.

Thanks for reading  

                                  Katie xxx