My 2015 beauty resolutions

This post is one I've been thinking about considerably over the last month or so.  Most of 2014 was devoted to going on a beauty diet to curb my impulse spending on cosmetics so what do I want to get out of 2015?

 

The beauty diet (basically it was 2 products out for every 1 new product in) did have a lingering effect on me and I've noticed how much more deliberate I've become with my makeup purchases - I must also thank  Sophie, Anissa, and Norlin for joining me and lending their support.  Just yesterday I stalked the higher end beauty counters for sale bargains and I walked away with nothing! I'd hoped to find a certain high end mascara on sale and because that particular mascara wasn't discounted I decided I wasn't going to buy something else just for the sake of it, see? Something has obviously switched over in my brain. 

  

Okay enough patting myself on the back.  Moving onto 2015 goals I've decided I can loosen the reigns just a little so here's what I plan to do:

 

1) Rather than doing 2 for 1 this year I'll use up (or cull) at least 1 makeup product before I buy a new product.  Based on my new 'restrained' behaviour I'm hopeful that won't automatically mean I run to the makeup counter every time I have another empty! Basically I'm going to genuinely want/desire/need something first. If it passes that test then it's a green light for me! 

 

On the other hand here's where I've UPPED the ante...

The lingering lip glosses

 

2) I've got waaaaay too many lip glosses in my collection so I'm going on a lip gloss buying ban FOR THE YEAR!  It shouldn't be as hard as it sounds seeing as I'm favouring mattes and longwearing lipsticks at the moment.  Having said that, hopefully I will actually finish some of my glosses and I'll also have a good hard look/sniff at which ones need to go due to old age and expiration.

 The bronzer bonanza

 

3) My bronzers all look so new and unloved! I've already pledged on Instagram that I'm going to start wearing my bronzers and contouring products more regularly this year and now I'm going up the ante by challenging myself to hit pan on a bronzer!!! HITTING PAN ON A BRONZER?!? CAN I DO IT??? If I can I plan on finally treating myself to a Guerlain bronzer (something I've had on my wishlist since the start of 2014)!

 

4) Finally, not so much a beauty plan but a blogging pledge:  I'll make sure to post at least twice a week in 2015.  Of course if I get that burst of creative energy I'll get onto it more frequently but I've been a bit all over the place this year and a couple of posts a week is very doable without me feeling pressured :)


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Well I think I've got enough beauty rules for 2015.  Will you be setting yourself any challenges or resolutions for the coming year?

 



W7: Dawn Raider

Hi everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the holiday season :)

 

Sorry for my unannounced hiatus.  I was feeling quite a bit tired towards the end of my working year and I guess I didn't realize quite how mentally tired I was until I after I finished work on the 17th.  One day dragged out to the next and the next until a few weeks slipped by. Anyway I hope you get what I mean.  Now I'm finally getting ideas swirling away in my head for future posts - and I also have a ton of nail swatches - so let me get back on this blogging bike again starting with this nail post!

 

I wore this deep blue polish from W7 a few weeks ago when the weather was kind of dreary and I wasn't feeling in the mood for bright spring/summer colours.  Dawn Raider is basically fine silver glitter swimming in an inky navy blue jelly base so the glitter itself appears quite blue on the nail. The glitter mix and colour base are very dense so two coats easily did the job for me.  I finished with a single layer of top coat but would recommend two for a smooth glassy veneer - I still had some bumpiness on my nails although obviously not enough to annoy me to apply that second layer!

 

Shade

 

 

Sun

 

Until next time!



November's farewelled products

 

Ahhh...the second last empties for the year and I don't know how it happened but settle in because it's going to be a big one!! The thing that really pleases me is I even managed to finish some more makeup AFTER all of that overseas hauling a couple of months ago...

 

Skin care

 

120) La Clinica Anti Ageing Gentle Milk Facial Cleanser (10ml/0.35 fl.oz travel size)* - To change it up between other cleansers I gave this little tube a run and I enjoyed the soothing feeling of a milky cleanser.  I'll definitely be using my full sized version when the cooler months roll around again and my skin craves something a little more on the rich side.

 

121) La Clinica Firming Lift Helixer Facial Serum (30ml/1.05 fl.oz)* - This contains snail secretion filtrate which made me a little squeamish at first - I wasn't accustomed to snail slime on my face - but I got over that and found that this serum absorbed quickly and did feel firming on my skin. 

 

122) La Clinica White Brilliant Intensive Correcting Foaming Cleanser (200ml/7.04 fl.oz)* - This unscented foaming cleanser lasted several months in my shower caddy so I almost got bored with it! The foamy formula is very light and gentle, almost dissolving into the skin and rinsed off in a flash.

 

 

123) eos Lip Balm Sphere (Medicated Tangerine) - I'm biased towards these little balm balls so it won't surprise you when I say I enjoyed this medicated version. Tangerine with a slight hint of menthol, this balm went on with a slightly heavier feel than the regular version but worked well as an affordable overnight lip treatment.  My husband appreciated the flavour too!

 

124) Face of Australia Gentle Make-up Remover (125ml/4.23 fl.oz) - This isn't the first time and won't be the last time I use this colourless makeup remover.  It gently removes all eye makeup without any stinging or oily residue and doesn't cost a bomb either.  

 

Hand and body care

 

124) OPI Original Polish Remover (120ml/4 fl.oz) - I prefer OPI's Expert Touch because it removes my polish faster and with less effort but I bought this as my next best option when I couldn't get my favourite.

 

125) Dermaveen Everyday Intensive Hand Cream (100ml) - I turned to this old faithful in the colder weather when my hands were at their worst because it's formulated for sensitive skin and moisturises without aggravating my seasonal eczema.  I'm sure I'll repurchase it when I need to again.

 

126) Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill Hand Therapy (25g/0.9 oz) - Another mini tube of hand cream I carried around in my purse.  The rich but easily absorbed formula is as I've come to expect and the fruity floral Summer Hill fragrance balances perfectly on the edge of being potent without becoming overpowering.  I've got to say the C & E Iris scented hand cream I'm using right now is absolutely amazing and I'm tempted to rub it onto my pulse points!

 

Cosmetics

127) Essence lipstick (Fairytale) - I bought this lippy when I first started blogging over 3 years ago so I suppose it's a little bit of a sentimental empty - I don't even think Essence sells this lipstick formula anymore (in Australia at least).  Fairytale was a sheer but buildable mauve for a low key lip colour so it was well loved and even well travelled, coming along with me on my last overseas trip!

 

128) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Eyeshadow Base - This tiny genie bottle tube came with the original UD Naked palette I bought last year.  A reliable choice if you're after a colourless base to hold eyeshadow in place, and my oily lids are thankful for that so I've finally bought a full size tube.

 

129) BYS Lash Extend Mascara (Black)* - This mascara came as part of a two-step lash pack with a scary dry fibre lash primer which I threw out months ago because of the fear of loose fibres getting into my eyes.  On its own BYS Lash Extend wears more like a black lash tint so I ended up hardly ever using it. 

 

Culled...

Maybelline Color Sensational Pop Stick (Raspberry Ice) - Surely this won the award for the lip product which did NOTHING.  No colour, no gloss, no moisturising properties. Nothing. I held onto it for so long because of the novelty of having a lip thingy which looked like a jello sculpture and THAT'S IT. It's time to go...

 

Invisible Zinc Tinted Daywear SPF 30+ (Light) - I bought this as a multi-tasking facial sunscreen for a tropical holiday a few years ago, wore it a few times then put it away and 'forgot' about it. Not really forgot - the problem was the overly greasy, heavy formula which I couldn't handle. Now the tube's past its expiry date so it's well and truly too late to figure out how to make it work. 

 

Fragrance

 

130) Chanel Allure Sensuelle EDP (50ml) - Damn I loved this fragrance! If I owned a vat of it I would wear it every day, but Chanel is one of those more expensive fragrance options so I'll just dream on.  This comes across as a crisp fresh citrusy scent at first but then enriches with a seductive patchouli undertone which envelops me - I could inhale it for hours.  So what are the notes?  Top notes contain bergamot, mandarin and pink pepper. Mid notes are composed of jasmine, rose, iris, candied fruits and vetiver followed by the base notes of French vanilla, amber, patchouli and frankincense.

 

131) Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise EDT (10ml travel size) - I packed this summery tropical floral for my overseas trip to wear when we got to Hawaii. The top notes are Eden mist, orange blossom, blue hyacinth, and Jaboticaba berry. The floral mid notes are laelia orchid, pink honeysuckle, Japanese mahonia, while base notes are Natal plum blossom, golden melaleuca, zebrano wood, ambrette seed.

 

 

So that's it until I do the final empties roundup for 2014 and then I have to consider if I'm making any beauty resolutions for the new year!  One resolution surely ought to be getting my empties posts out in a more timely fashion...

 

 

 (Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

 

Ulta3 Nail Colour: Corsican Rose

I've been opting for green polishes more than usual, probably falling under the influence of spring/summer- it's all of those young leaves and that fresh green grass, before the grass dries out in the first proper heatwave anyway!  I was looking for something ever so slightly 'office appropriate' and reasoned (to myself at least) that pastel mint green is going to be up there as a more wearable interpretation of green for everyday, another slightly out there 'neutral' so cue Corsican Rose from budget Australian brand Ulta3.

 

Corsican Rose has a reputation for being on the sheer side so I needed to apply three coats over a base coat to get good coverage but the result was worth it - creamy, minty nails that lasted a week.  Not bad at all for a $2 polish!

 

All pictures taken in indirect daylight:

 

 

 

 

Until next time!



REVIEW: Luk Beautifood - Lip Nourish

It's always a bonus to be wearing and reviewing a product at the same time and I've been wearing my Lip Nourish natural lipstick from Luk Beautifood pretty much constantly over the weekend (and right now). Okay, so I know exactly how it looks, feels, wears, smells, tastes (or not!) and I'll share my thoughts shortly...

 

First let me do my little brand intro because Luk Beautifood is another Australian natural beauty brand I've recently discovered, specialising in 'no-makeup', looking makeup aimed at the busy, no fuss woman, made from "...natural, raw and organic food so you can relax knowing you are nourishing your skin with healthy, non toxic ingredients." 

Luk Beautifood products contain no synthetic fragrances or colours, artificial flavours, phthalates, petroleum oils, lanolin, synthetic emollients, preservatives (including parabens, BHA, BHT), GMOs, animal products (other than beeswax), cochineal beetles (carmine E120).

...Getting back to the Lip Nourish lipsticks themselves: These are a range of 100% natural sheer lipsticks made from "clean active foods" and are enriched with Vitamins A, C & E, antioxidants and omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids from avocado, sesame seeds and plant lipids to "fight free radicals, moisture-balance and protect to keep the lips soft, smooth and illuminated."  

There are 7 shades/flavours in the range, all naturally scented by their namesake ingredients and I chose the sheer dusty pink Orange & Juniper, obviously scented with orange rind and crushed juniper berries!!
 

 

 

Packaging first and this is my one gripe so I'll get it out of the way.  As the twist up mechanism was a little stubborn, I thought the balm wasn't going to twist up from the tube at all! After a few attempts I got it working but I'm not going to twist it back down into the tube just in case. I don't know if it was just my luck but I figure it's worth mentioning.

Now onto the important stuff inside the tube!  The fruity - in this case citrusy - scent seems quite strong in when you smell it in the tube, but the flavour is quite subtle when applied on the lips and really only lasts a few minutes before it fades away to nothing.  So if you're not a fan of flavoured lip products don't let the mention of flavour put you off here because it's not going to hang around.

The thing I really fell for was the ease of application and the comfort on the lips.  The colour is sheer, satiny and very natural looking on my lips so I can literally swipe it on without the need for a mirror - something I rarely do unless it's a colourless balm.  I completely get that the Lip Nourish lipsticks are for the 'no-makeup' look and the result is basically my lips but just that little bit better in the most subtle way - it's like the old 'is she or isn't she?' wearing makeup idea put into practice and I like the subtle youthful glow, sans gloss these impart on my lips. Being the diehard bright lipstick girl that I am, I know these won't take the place of my signature bright weekday lip look but they're a brilliant idea for low key weekend looks, and whenever I don't want to wear makeup but want that little indiscernible healthy looking 'something' on my lips. 

And the comfort? The Lip Nourish feels like a lightweight, almost velvety balm and is very long lasting, with no greasy migration beyond the lip line at all, and my lips feel soft without any stickiness or tackiness. As you can see in the swatches below Orange & Juniper was the perfect natural pick for me.

Swatched on the inside of my arm:

 

And on my lips:

 

 

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  Luk Beautifood Lip Nourish natural lipsticks are $24.95 each from the Luk Beautifood site here or the full set of 7 can be purchased for the super special Christmas price of $99.00 here.

 

 

 

(This product was provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

OPI: Shorts Story

As I write this - on the last day of the southern hemisphere spring - it's feeling distinctly like summer and, I can't resist the pun, like shorts weather! I'm flaking out on the bed, under the ceiling cooler so you know I'm not kidding at all!

 

Let's just segue awkwardly from the shorts wearing weather to Shorts Story, one of the summery shades from OPI's Brights Collection.  I'm a huge fan of this particular pink shade because it's just so PINK!  It's a pure bright pink - not a coral pink, not a mauve pink, not a blue pink - just PINK! Two coats of colour later and I had glossy pink statement nails for a week...

 

 Sun

 

 

Shade

 

 

What's your favourite shade of pink polish?

 

 



Revitanail Triple Strength: Pomegranate

Revitanail is a local brand best known for their nail treatments - Revitanail's Nail Strengthener is their version of OPI's Nail Envy - but they also have a small range of Triple Strength nail colours in classic everyday shades.  I received one of them, Pomegranate, in a gift box last year and finally got around to trying it out a few weeks ago when I was digging around for a bright spring red. 

  

I was in the mood to do a bit of research on the Triple Strength line and true to Revitanail's emphasis on nailcare their colour polishes contain ingredients such as bamboo "to improve flexibility and strength", and calcium "for protection and growth". Sounds good so far and then they say the polish  "features a quick-dry gloss finish and streak–free smooth application...". 

I obviously had high hopes for this polish but ended up a little underwhelmed by all but the colour.  Pomegranate was exactly the colour I was looking for and I loved the vibrant pink/red but the application was average because of the thick formula and unfortunately the wear time was less than average, as despite wearing base and topcoat I experienced chipping after a few days.  Oh well, let's just admire the colour shall we?
 

Sun

 

 

Shade

 

Have you tried this line of polish?

 



Hawaii Beauty Buys: The Luxury Edit

 

I've been very sporadic in my posting lately (if you follow on Twitter then you might know there have been some family health dramas taking up my time and energy) so this is another better late than never post from me.  I'm finally in the mood to get back on with the lighter, more fun side of my life and what better way for a beauty blogger to get happy than photographing lots of new makeup courtesy of a big overseas makeup haul!

I think I left the best of the vacation shopping posts until this last instalment - the best value for money perhaps? I don't know about that because I wasn't comparing the $$ but I do know I had a lot of fun buying all of these products which for the most part are not yet readily available in Australia - until Sephora opens it's doors in Sydney next month anyway! I actually did most of my beauty shopping in Sephora - Yeah baby!!! -  so let's start there! Now why on earth am I channelling Austin Powers?!?...

Sephora

• Urban Decay Naked2 Basics - I know the original Urban Decay Naked Basics palette was a bit of a love it or leave it item depending on how colour obsessed you are (I guess?), but being a bit of a neutral girl in my everyday life, I was in the love it category.  The cooler toned option of 2 was on my radar from the moment it was released so I bought this as a 'must have' item for my little UD collection. 
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - I've used up a couple of sample sized tubes and found it did the job well enough so I basically threw this into my basket!

 

 

• NARS Audacious Lipstick (Grace) - Just look at that black minimalist packaging and of  course the now almost mandatory embossed bullet. After seeing all the buzz on Instagram a NARS Audacious lipstick was also on my wishlist to try because I'm all about high pigment lipstick.  I confess I don't own a NARS blush but now I do own a NARS lipstick! I chose Grace as it's a bright pink coral and very promising as a perfect shade for summer statement lips.

 

• Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick Duos (Vivid Violet/Palomino & Neutral Lychee/Musk) -  I've been a fan of the moisturising Luminous Lip Crème formula since buying my first (and only until now) Bite Beauty lipstick last year and these lip duos are a cutely portable, more affordable way of trying other shades from the range. I love how Sephora have all those irresistible little items lined up along the way to the counter for the last minute impulse buys - It's the beauty equivalent of the candy stand at the supermarket checkout!

 

 

• Give Me More Lip - Sephora Favorites - Oh my, I walked around and around this one because the idea of getting 17 new lip products in one hit felt pretty extravagant after all my discipline earlier this year.  Ah well, it's 17 sample sizes and a heap of them are products I'd not tried before but seen raves about (Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear lipstick, Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick are just two worth mentioning) so why not?  It's becoming pretty clear my beauty obsession is leaning a LOT more heavily towards lip colours these days, hmm?

 

• Stila Pretty Pick-Me-Ups lip & cheek set - Another on the way to the counter grab!  This little set contains two mini versions of popular Stila products that I didn't have:  the much obsessed about Peony Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream and Guava Lip Glaze.  It's taken me a long time to 'get' cream cheek products but now that I do I'm in love with the healthy, youthful glow they give to my middle aged old cheeks and I can't get enough of them!

 

• Sephora Outrageous Prisma Chrome mono eye shadow pots - I found these two shades (Outrageous Metallic Grey and Outrageous Metallic Lilac) in the discount bin for $5 each and, being typically indecisive, bought them both! Since getting back from my trip I've read raves about these wet/dry metallic eye shadows so can't understand why they've been discontinued unless it's only these shades? 

 

And the samples...

After all that shopping I qualified for Sephora Beauty Insider signup so I received my free samples, mini Bare Minerals 5 in 1 cream eye shadow as a points perk and MUFE birthday gift on the spot. Not having regular access to Sephora made this a bit of a big deal for me so it makes me excited for when Sephora expands in Australia and...finally comes to Melbourne.  Hurry up, will you?

 

Neiman Marcus

 

 

I really should say this was the "Tom Ford beauty counter at Neiman Marcus" because that's what I zeroed in on and where I had an impromptu makeover while the SA wooed me with the above products - and the rest, hah! If there was one additional thing I should have bought at the time but didn't was the TF Eye Primer Duo. We decided to go for a hike up to Diamond Head Lookout later in the afternoon and while the rest of my face melted off in the sweaty heat my eye shadow was FLAWLESS! If only I'd had time to get back to that counter.  You know how it is, wise after the fact *sigh*.

So I ended adding these products to my Tom 'freaking' Ford collection:

• Tom Ford Lip Color (31 Twist of Fate) - This coral lipstick is from TF's Fall 2014 collection and given that we don't get many of the LE releases in Australia I didn't hesitate after trying it on at the counter. It's more subtle than TF's True Coral and looks equally put together yet in a low-key way.
• Tom Ford Ultra Shine Lip Gloss (07 Peach Absolut) - The SA used this as a complimentary topper for the lippy and...I don't have any TF glosses in my collection...and this looked perfect...so...yes.
• Tom Ford Concealing Pen (02 Light Medium) - Being the concealer addict I am I was all up for trying this newish release and it was on my luxe beauty wishlist so I can now check that one off! 

 

Macy's

Yes I found this at Macy's! The Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette has been around for some time and I'm a latecomer to exploring the brand per se so...I had that first sniff of the cocoa powder shadows, had a little swatch - these are velvety as opposed to buttery and well pigmented - and was convinced I had to buy me a palette!

After my first use I'm already impressed because the shades build and blend well, and with all of those complimentary colours I was able to create my own look very easily without too much deliberation.  There are three eye makeup looks included in the Chocolate Bar pamphlet but just looking at the palette I can see a multitude of looks in the making.  Lots of playing to be done with the Chocolate Bar and I can understand the raves it gets.

Well that's enough shopping for now perhaps?

If you'd like any more detailed reviews or swatches please let me know in the comments!



October's farewelled products

Yes I'm late again and I'm mildly freaking out because as I write my October empties post my bag's already filling up with NOVEMBER empties! No more time to waste then - let's get into it!

 

 

Skin care

 

107) Olay Fresh Effects Refreshing Make-up Removal Cloths (20 cloths) - I think these were my only skin care purchase overseas, because makeup wipes were the only thing I ran out of!  I liked the fresh scent and they did a reasonable job of removing light makeup at the end of a long day.  I've no need to either rant or rave about them and I'll stop right here because the Fresh Effects wipes aren't available in Australia.

 

108) Maybelline Makeup Remover Eye & Lip (70ml/2.4 fl. oz.) - I bought this again for travel because it's the smallest bottle out there.  It does a good enough job for a drugstore makeup remover (gentle but effective on waterproof makeup, blah, blah, blah...) so I'm sure I'll buy some more in future.



 

 

109) La Clinica White Brilliant Intensive Correction Hydrating Night Cream (10ml/0.35 fl.oz)* - I found a sample tube in my drawer to finish up.  See last month's post for my thoughts on this.

 

110) La Clinica Gly C Refine Microdermabrasion Facial Scrub (100ml/3.52 fl.oz)* -  I'm a fan of this facial exfoliant and I'm onto a second tube because it smoothes my skin without any irritation.  See my full review here.

 

111) Hourglass No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil - A luxury indulgence I spent my birthday $$$ on last year and I made it stretch for months because I used it as an occasional overnight lip treatment.  It was superbly effective as a lip moisturiser although I don't know whether it is quite as effective an anti-aging product as it claims (perhaps because I didn't use it night after night).  Still, I'd probably buy this again as a luxury treat because I'm not over my love affair with all things Hourglass!

 

 

Hand and body care

 

112) Palmer's Cocoa Butter Moisturizing Body Wash (400ml/13.5 fl.oz)* - For those of you who are chocolate freaks like me you might appreciate the fact this smells like you're washing yourself in hot chocolate - if you're not then, well, you get what I'm saying.  This was fabulously creamy and foamy and I loved using it particularly in the depths of winter.

 

113) ECO. Body Women's Personal Body Wash (100ml)* -  I used this fresh herbal scented, antibacterial body wash as a post workout pick me up.  See here for my full review.


 

 

114) Dirty Works Supreme Cream Body Butter (300ml)* -  If I didn't have the massive stash of body butters that currently lurk in my bathroom cupboard I'd buy another tub of this tomorrow because I was hooked on the salty sea air scent and the tub lasted for ages - of course it did a decent job of moisturising too.  This is a summer holiday in a tub of body butter I tell you!  Read my full review here.

 

115) Natio AUM Purifying Body Scrub (150ml/5.1 fl.oz) - Usually I love everything from Natio but this product was equal parts enjoyable and frustrating.  The creamy formula was one of the most moisturising body exfoliants I've tried but the irregular shaped granules were impossible to squeeze out of the tube.  I had to twist off the base just about every time - that 'convenient' flip top lid was just for show! It was too annoying for me and I'll probably stay away for that reason alone.

116) Nivea Rich Nourishing Body Lotion (75ml travel size) -  I'm pretty sure this is the last of my travel empties! I enjoy that age old Nivea scent but this lotion took a lot of rubbing in before the milky film disappeared into the skin.  Maybe I'm just getting too impatient but I want that happy balance of a rich moisturiser that absorbs quickly and this one wasn't quite quick enough for me.


 

 

117) Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy (25g/0.9.oz) - This is yet another wonderfully rich hand cream from my C & E stash.  Silky and easily absorbed.

 

118) OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover (30ml/1 fl.oz) - I bought this mini bottle when I couldn't find the full sized version at the store.  At the risk of repeating myself like a sound loop, this formula is my favourite from the OPI range.

 

119) L'Occitane Pivoine Flora Hand Cream (30ml/1oz) - This hand cream was heavier on fragrance but lighter on moisture, with a more watery texture than I've come to expect from L'Occitane.  I found it okay - and it would be perfectly fine for normal skin - but my dry hands need a richer formula for more lasting hydration.

Okay...Now I'm ready to take on that Sephora haul post!

 

 

 (Products marked * were provided for my consideration.  All comments and opinions are my own.)

 





Canmake Colorful Nails: 10 Lavender Milk

My latest nail post features a feminine pastel from Japanese polish brand Canmake, and one of only two nail polishes I bought in Japan.  I saw so many more I could have bought - particularly from the Canmake line because they have such a pretty selection including glitter versions - but I was more focused on makeup this time, and for whatever reason I'm just not as nail obsessed at the moment.  Plus, it's amazing how much those little buggers weigh when you start accumulating them in your luggage!

 

Lavender Milk is an apt name for this lovely pastel polish so I'm not going to try and top it with my spin on it - milky lavender it definitely is.  Two coats applied perfectly smoothly, with no streaking or flooding at all.  Drawn as I am to purple throughout the entire spectrum, if I had to choose my one favourite pastel shade this would be right up there as somehow lavender seems to be pretty without being too overtly girly - if you know what I mean.

 

All pictures taken in indirect daylight:

 

 

 

That's it for now :)