Models Own velvet glitter polish review

So.. this isn't my first glitter polish review as of late, but as my work christmas party outfit was green themed plus Christmas is all about the sparkle, I couldn't resist this polish for the occasion and I am SO glad I grabbed it!

Models Own are usually pretty reliable and epic as far as polish goes but glitter polish is in a whole different sector as its so hard to get right, but this collection seems to have knocked this idea on the head.

With is multi grained (super fine and medium sized) glitter effect, really quick and easy application with equally quick drying PLUS perfect coverage (which is a slight problem with most glitter polishes) this polish is perfect to add a quick glitz to a night out. 

The best thing about this polish is it staying power and also leaving power. Alot of glitter polishes are a total pain to keep on and an even bigger pain to take off but this polish was a dream in this department. The above pictures were taken on day 4 without a top coat, there's slight wear to the tops of the nails which is expected but it really lasted the distance and only properly chipped on day 7. Plus another added bonus to this polish is its velvet after effect once dried which was really cool and added another texture dimension to my whole outfit.

What polishes are you wearing this season?

Michelle

♥

Polish I used

'Absinthe' from the Velvet Goth Collection - Models Own

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram)

My bath/shower regime featuring Whish Sugar Scrub, Molton Brown shower gel and Good Things cleanser

Seeing as my beauty blogging is going so well I thought it was about time for me to do a 'My bath/shower regime' post with the things I use in the everyday and a few pampering pieces as well.

My main beauty regime consists of three products as I never leave myself enough time in the morning to do any thorough scrubbing or pampering. 

Currently for my hair I'm using boots Coconut and Almond shampoo for normal to dry hair. As I wash my hair everyday (yes I know I shouldn't but I really don't like my hair feeling dirty) it does get really dry but leave-in treatments take too long so this stuff is a savour to my hair during my super quick moving mornings. It has a deep clean effect but equally enriching formula which when drying your hair it feels as if it has been through a more natural deep conditioning system without leaving that sticky coated feeling you get with some conditioners and shampoos, and at £1.29 for 300ml it's a total steal!

If my hair feels super un-clean after a crazy gym session, music festival or the like I use Lush 4 in 1 'fun' putty in mandarin. The putty can be used for hair, body, in the bath or mould into anything for fun just like playdough! Like all lush products the putty contains minimal amount of ingredients with most that occur naturally in essential oils so the putty doesn't froth up like normal shampoo/soap, so when using it you have to make sure most of the putty is mainly in liquid form to get the best coverage. Although when using the putty you feel as if it isn't doing very much once rinsed out your hair feels squeaky clean and soft which goes for whatever part of the body you use it on. The only thing bad I have to say about this product is that it comes in a recycled cellophane wrap so unlike most of the other lush products that come in a container once this is used once its hard to keep it in your shower or in the side of your bath without it getting water/condensation in, it then discintergrating and it all getting a little messy.

My next daily used product is my good things cleanser. Really overall it was the scent that sold it to me with its really sweet mango and blueberry mixture, but with its free from preservatives, sulphates and animal oils it has added benefits of being as close to natural as possible. The cleanser is quick and deep cleaning with the added pampering effect from its scent, so its perfect for daily use and makes the crazy mornings that little bit easier.

The last thing on the menu for my routine is my Molton Brown Gingerlilly bath and shower gel, as you can see as well as being one of Molton Brown's top sellers its certainly mine (and now new converted addict.. my boyfriends) favourite too. Although its aim like my other items is probably not to be as natural and anti-preservative as possible, its powerful sweet but also peppery/oaky scent is the perfect daily tool for me to use with my Minnie Mouse shower puff which I adore! Although you pay quite hefty for it, it's totally addictive.

Over the weekends I like to pamper myself and which girl doesn't like to have long soak in the bath once in a while? As I have dry skin which becomes severely dry in the winter months my three whishes sugar scrub is my first port of call for this type of weekender activity. Containing a trio of exfoliants with bamboo powder, raspberry seed and sugar and sugar cane hosted alongside another trio of moisturizers of organic aloe, organic raspberry butter and organic Shea butter, once the fine exfoliant has been used as a scrub and rinsed off the rich moisturising formula stay on your skin soaking its sweet almond scent which reminds me of cake baking all over, perfect for making my skin normal again!

My last little weekend treat product which I use quite rarely is the 15 year old slumber party favourite, the Montagne Jeunesse face mask. I like to use these once in a while to create a little 'me' time and although they don't really do anything long term for my skin they maintain my relaxing periods which is perfect in itself.

So that's my skincare routine discussed! Let me know what you think and whether you can recommend anything new to add to my routine.

Michelle

♥

Products I use:

Coconut and Almond Shampoo - Boots

'FUN' playdough - Lush

Good Things Cleanser - Boots

Gingerlilly bath and shower gel - Molton Brown

Almond Sugar Scrub - Whish

Strawberry Souffle Face Mask - Montagne Jeunesse

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram and PicFrame)

My first fashion and beauty haul! including Longchamp, Jeffrey Campbell and Les Meteorites by Guerlain Paris

I've never done a haul before but I've bought a few quite big purchases to add to my wardrobe and my makeup collection recently so I figure it would be good to give readers a first hand genuine review on a few popular products and obviously to have some fun with a new blog feature!

1) Longchamp Le Pilage Metal Collection Handbag - £86

I've been an avid Longchamp lover for over 3 years now with my first all black Le Pilage with a snake print leather horse on the front purchased just over 2 years ago. Only since this new purchase I had used my old Pilage everyday and pretty much every evening out and for its well used history you would think it would be battered, but it still looks like it hasn't had a finger laid upon it apart from a few minute holes in 2 corners on the base (the fact it's black must play a big role in this its condition). As my first Pilage went down a treat I decided it was about time I bought a new one so I decided to go with one of the silver bags from the metal LM collection which I love as it goes with everything, adds a little sparkle to my outfits and its a little bit more original than the usual Pilage bags you see dotted all over London.

2) Newlook white heeled black boots - £30

The winter can't start without a new pair of boots right? Since owning my much adored black patent leather heeled DM's, as soon as I saw this black boot with white heel trend crop up I knew it would take off swiftly so I nabbed this pair from Newlook just before all the popular sizes sold out. Although they are not as good quality as my DM's they still go with a good chuck of my wardrobe, are super original and a steal at £30!

3) Jeffrey Campbell gold studded martini flats - £59

If your an avid Jeffrey Campbell-er you'll be looking at that price tag with a steeply angled eyebrow. I managed to bag these beauties at this price via secretsales.com a website I always recommend to people to use. Once I bought the shoes I was a little nervous as to whether they'd fit as although I am a true size 7 and had a pair of Campbell litas already you can never quite know the transition in size from heel to flats. Once I got them through the post I do agree with some bloggers that they aren't as snug as some of my other shoes in the same size but they are made really well and are quite a deep shoe so feel very secure. The bow at the front of the shoe feels pretty sturdy as do the metal sequin studs (which you get a bag of a few extras included in the box) with all having survived the usual London tube trample so far. The only thing I will say about ordering through secret sales is that when I received my shoe everything was intact.. Apart from the sponge insert inside the shoes had been ripped out which was quite disappointing. I've never had a problem with secret sales before so this was quite a shock and as it was a sale I was caught in the possibility trap of not being able to get another pair if I sent them back so I settled with using some special glue to secure it back again.

4) Ted Baker patent kassaday leather blue purse - £75

Yes, it is ridiculous that my purse is nearly the same price as my handbag but when your faced with royal blue patent leather, crystal and rose gold hardware and metallic pink textile interior it's quite to turn your back on it. As you can tell, my recent decisions with clothing and accessories had been one to look into more longterm investments in items rather than just chase one fad to the next (ignore the boots when reading that comment) especially as my last pursed within 6 months was destroyed. This purse like all ted baker accessories are super chic with an original twist whilst also being long lasting so hopefully this accessories will be around in my handbag for alot longer!

5) Guerlain Les Meteorites light diffusing powder - £32

From generation to generation I know for a fact that this product sticks around, ever since I was aware my mum used this product I was obsessed with the pearly seaside box of which she eventually passed down to me to have which I have loved and used with pleasure ever since, so when this beloved box eventually ran out I frantically prowled every department store to buy my very first one. Unlike most powders as its solid in small sections and doesn't disintegrate in 30 seconds like most 'solid powders' means the coverage builds gradually enabling for a consistent level of control when applying, and because of this you can use this as either a setting powder or a highlighter. On top of its versatility the product itself is silky with just the perfect amount of sparkle, and last for years.. Yes I mean it YEARS. My last box that was gifted to me which was half used already and was then used by me every day lasted around a year so although you invest a lot of money in this product to begin with like I said, it sticks around.

6) Models Own Kabuki brush - £11

To go alongside my meterorites I decided to treat myself to a new brush and the kabuki seemed the perfect one to me. With its wide set soft brush (which coincidently was the perfect diameter to match my powder pot) the kabuki brush provides perfect coverage with a feel of luxury. Like most models own products this end finish of quality and luxury doesn't just stop at their nail polishes. 

7)  Aviva marl purple stretch sports bra - £9.99 and Kyodan grey Aztec detail sports leggings - £14.99

I've never bought sportswear from TKMaxx before but considering my gym visits have increased as of late I thought it was time to invest in some more sportswear (and with this new gear maybe look a touch more fashionable). These items were a steal considering their quality, the Aviva bra is durable, feels comfortable but is still secure, and works on a moisture wicking system, plus it looks great with grey gym wear.. Which where my new leggings come in. The Kyodan leggings are not like normal leggings from the looks of things they're seem stitched and cut in a different way to normal leggings to create ease of movement, they're ruched at the bottom so you can tuck them over your heel (I'm guessing this could be useful for yoga?) and they come in this quirky grey pattern which funnily enough goes very well with purple!

So there you have it, that's the end of my first haul! I hope this gave you a good insight into products you may have been interested in or given you some christmas wish list ideas! 
Check back soon for more beauty reviews!

Michelle

♥

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram and PicFrame)

Revlon Salt N Pepper Glitter Polish Review

Seeing as Christmas is approaching fast along with Christmas parties and Christmas party dresses approaching even faster, I decided I needed to try something on my nails that was a little more festive to match, so the current salt n pepper fad was perfect!

As Revlon are my go-to polish people and I had a cheeky £2 off Revlon voucher from boots I couldn't resist their new collection of speckled polishes.

The first coat came out quite thin with only a few speckles of silver and black large glitter pieces with fine small silver glitter pieces, although dried quickly as most revlon polishes do. By this point I was skeptical at how dark the polish was going to come out overall as I've had some issues in the past with the first coat coming out quite clear with the whole result not coming out very well. Here I've take my picture outside so you get a good idea of the transparency in true sunlight.

Fortunately the second coat was applied and straight away the effect was true dark black which you can see from the first picture. Areas were a little patchy with a normal amount of glitter with the rest coated really thick in glitter so when using it parts did need a little touching up.

The overall effect was a black slightly dulled speckled effect, it wasnt as shiny as I thought it would be, but it's the perfect festive nail design to tie in with the Christmas party dress without over powering it.. Lets hope it comes off as easily as it went on!

Michelle

♥

Polish I used
780 'Ritzy' Polish - Revlon

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram)

*Secret Revival Facial Massage

Like every girl on the planet, I love to be pampered, de-stressed and know all the anti-ageing treatments for when that dreaded time comes. So when secret revival and I got in contact recently about their uplifting facial massage, although I am no expert beauty blogger and really focus on a handful of products to keep my skin ticking over, I decided it was time to take up in some early new years resolutions and start again with my skin, on a fresh re-vamped palette and this was the perfect opportunity to restart.

Walking down a long dome shaped entrance filled with refreshing trees and ornaments in the heart of the north east suburbs of angel is a small wooden door where Secret Revival lies.

I was instantly greeted by owner and facial guru Pritpal with a kind and warming attitude and aspiring clear skin to boot. After filling out a short form Pritpal gave me a short consultation explaining the massage and idea behind it.

The facial is unlike many traditional facials using no creams or products with preservatives, just a deep tissue massage technique used to hit certain target areas of the face to rejuvenate and lift the muscles to give the face a facelift and glowing effect without the chemicals or the obvious women's short fix, Botox. 

Pritpal concentrates on awaking the body and holds deep traditionally Indian beliefs that the skin really has all it needs to keep facial issues at bay stating "If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin". Pritpal uses deep circular motions on the face and areas around the lymph in the face and neck to awake the naturally occuring detoxifying areas of the body to help flush out toxins and strengthen muscles.

In a relaxing incense and music filled environment the thorough massage was performed with the movement able to be modified along the way depending on preference. Pritpal performed the massage on half my face so I could see the difference on each side, and after one side was done my skin instantly felt perk and plump and was significantly glowing, I decided to wear no makeup before the treatment so I could really see the effects, my dark circles were lessened and my skin was just generally a lot more alive so I can definitely see why people describe the treatment as a natural face lift.

At the end of the treatment Pritpal rubbed pure organic coconut oil over her hand and gently drifted over my face to finish the treatment.

After the treatment Pritpal was eager to impart her wisdom, she showed me techniques for the everyday and when my skin is feeling tired to re-create these similar skin effects at home plus detailing oils that all beauty addicts should use including jojoba oil that mimics the sebum oil produced in the skin and Coconut oil to enrich the hair and body, with Spezia Organics being her in-house favourite brand.

But she didn't just detail the obvious facial knowledge from her line of work, she also gave me fitness and diet tips for improving the state of my skin with leafy greens, wheat grass and Bikram yoga being first on the menu, all helpful tips for my early new years resolutions!

Overall I would say this facial massage experience is really for someone actually looking to improve their skin, that may seem like a stupid comment but alot of facials on the market are really labelled as a standard slap-on-and-leave treatment, showing minor results but not ones that last with its main use just to pamper. Pritpals massage will not only lift significantly but can also be maintained with the correct teaching straight from a beauty guru, on top of that familiar post facial pampered feeling.

Prices start at £65 for a single session with several different packages available at www.secretrevival.co.uk

Michelle

♥

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram)

Grey can be great OOTD

Sorry for the lack of light in this post, they were taken outside the IMax when I went to see the new Tom Hanks film recently. I was going to try elsewhere but I thought the sparkly wall was too perfect for it to not be in this outfit post.

At the moment this seems to be my go-to favourite outfit and with the pre-conception of marl grey always being an addition to outfits as either a texture, to tone down an otherwise bright outfit, or as an addition to tan based accessories I thought the rules were ready to be broken and this was the perfect example of how grey can be great just on its own. 

Here I've teamed a simple grey marl t-shirt with a bit of sparkle on my silver skull scarf to liven the whole palette. I threw on my go to studded boots and my oh so loved recent purchase metallic collection longchamp to continue the metallic theme, all finished up with poncho style shawl for a chic weekend evening out look!

How do you team up your grey wardrobe pieces?

Michelle

♥

What I wore

Black poncho/shawl - vintage

Grey dipped hem t-shirt - Topshop

Silver glitter skull scarf - H&M

Silver cross necklace - Newlook

Black and metallic grey bag - Longchamp metallics collection

Studded boots - Office

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram and PicFrame)

Remember remember

Another quick mani done in the same way to the last Halloween version using a base coat, striking top coat and then an added texture on each index finger. This one was inspired by the weekends clapham fireworks all pink with a hint of sparkle.

Enjoy the show tonight!

Michelle

♥

P.s don't you think the top right image looks like a mouse and the bottom left a bear.. or is that just me?

Colours I used

Clear polish - '3 in 1 base coat, top coat and gloss' by Models Own
 Barbie pink polish - '280 Bubbly' by Revlon

White and pink glitter polish - '264 Pink Iridescent' by Barry M 

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram and PicFrame)

Check this out OOTD

I know I'm a little late blogging about this check phase but this online area of life has been a bit lax recently (sorry) so I'm currently doing a bit of catching up. Anyway as soon as I laid eyes on this print making its way back into the lime light this year, with the likes of Louis Vuitton taking out double page spreads with monochrome and neon yellow check ads in my favourite magazine 'Love' I just HAD to get my mits on the print.

This print is me all over as it has a real vintage vibe about it but also has a modern twist in its cut and that all important 'look at me' factor. Because of this I love the fact you can be either be equally as statement or relaxed on the accessories everywhere else.

I teamed my check dress with classic red nails and leather jacket, my lapis blue arty ring and studded Campbell style slippers. Once dressed up me and my boyfriend headed to Inamo for his brothers 30th birthday where we sampled their food as well as the interactive tables! Which, although we're quite gimmicky and a little dangerous for the credit card.. were still lots of fun!

How do you wear your check?

Michelle

♥

What I wore

Check sixties dress - Vila via ASOS

Leather jacket - CCDK

Lapis lazuli arty ring - YSL

Black tote - Longchamp

Studded slippers - Jeffery Campbell style pumps via eBay

Red nails - Revlon red 680 

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram and PicFrame)

Hallows eve mega quick mani

Now.. As I'm usually the type of girl who wears the same red nail polish, pink lipstick and black eyeliner on the right occasion and am all round quite minimalist when it comes to makeup I therefore don't do many beauty blogging based posts. But this Hallow I found myself with a few spare minutes and decided to a) use two polish's I haven't used in a while and b) maybe jazz up my hands for the week and be little more fitting with the time of year.

I applied a layer of clear base coat before applying the main colour (whereby I find all the Model's Own products go down smoothly and are quick drying so they were my first port of call). I then applied two layers of 'Beetle juice' green also by Model's Own and then followed up with crackle black on both index fingers with another clear coat on top to set the effect in place and make it all more of a gloss look and less of a matte.

This is probably a pretty amateurish effect in comparison with some of the other amazing mani's that go around in the blogosphere but I thought it might be worth a share if you fancy something quick to go with your hallows witchy/zombie style outfit!

Happy trick or treating! (and.. save me some sweets!)

Michelle

♥

Colours I used

Clear polish - '3 in 1 base coat, top coat and gloss' by Models Own
 Two-tone metallic green - 'Golden green beetle juice' by Models Own
Black Crackle Polish - '049 Nail Effects' by Barry M

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(All Images taken by myself and edited via Instagram)

Well and truly Solestruck

If there's nothing more tempting to a woman than a pair of drop dead gorgeous shoes.. It's multiple updates on the latest drop dead gorgeous shoes streamed straight to your retinas on your favourite digital gadgets via Instagram. I decided it was about time I created a wall of dedication to this brand and put all the print screened images I've taken (for research only obviously...) of the shoes that beautiful shoes that have caught my eye.

Solestruck has definitely solved some of my fashion footwear fixes (try saying that quickly) for over the past year or so, not just for constant interesting updates but also for some of the playful and innovative choices that are featured ranging from the super chic to the truly daring type of shoe all posted with the top toe trends in mind.

So trust me if you like shoes, like innovative footwear or just need something different to dazzle your tootsies.. these need to be your top follow @solestruck

Michelle

♥

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(All Images taken by @solestruck and edited via Instagram)