OCC LIP TAR IN NYLON - REVIEW AND SWATCH

For years I was so eager to try out one of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics world famous Lip Tars. After a lovely trip to meet the lovely Marvelle at BlogOfShadows I picked up a few Lip Tars which over the past few months I have just fallen in love with. In the next week I have 3 more Lip Tars to show you, and I cannot wait to get more.

Lip Tars are liquid lipsticks that come in a cute tube with a small nozzle, perfect for applying directly to the lip brush, or into pots to mix up your own colours. I've tried mixing colours up but have been pretty limited with 4 colours, but I recently bought a green shade, so things could get interesting!

I tend to use a brush to apply the lipstick accurately, but on occasion I use my finger to add a subtle hint of colour when I'm in a rush. 

I am a Lip Tar convert, and I cannot be without one in my bag. The lipstick dries to a semi matte/satin finish. The more you apply, the glossier it is. You literally need the tiniest drop of this bright pink to create an opaque finish. I am in LOVE with Nylon, and is usually compared to OCC's Anime and MAC's Candy Yum Yum. The wear on this lipstick is also brilliant and lasts throughout the day with little touch ups - I can even eat and drink with it staying put!

I have now come to the conclusion that I need more OCC Lip Tars in my life. Usually the one for the Mac lipsticks (I have 25...) I am slowly coming over to the Lip Tar ways. With so many finishes and colours to choose from, you can definitely find one that you love, or mix up your own colours!

Grab a OCC Lip Tar from Selfridges and see what the fuss is all about.

These babies cost £11.50, but worth every penny.

Have you tried Lip Tars?

What do you think of them?

SLEEK PRODUCTS REVIEW - POUT PAINTS IN PEEK-A-BLOO, CLOUD 9 AND PINK UP. DIP IT EYELINER IN PASTEL GREEN, GOLD AND BLACK.

About a month ago I was asked to do the makeup for a Musical, Pippin. With crazy colours and mental make up I made this an excuse to find a few more bright make up essentials to add to my kit. I had been meaning to get my eager hands on the Sleek Pout Paints for a while but never got round to it, and always went to Mac for lipsticks. I was also drawn to the gorgeous Pastel Green Dip-It eyeliner, so I obviously needed that too.

First we have the Pout Paints, my new obsession. Of course I had to pick up Peek-A-Boo, a true blue shade. I then added Pin-Up, a appropriately named red, and Cloud 9 a bright white. The one thing I really don't like about these is the taste and smell. It really reminds me of rubber gloves. Or is that just me? The application on a few were also a bit tricky. Also, these don't set like most lipsticks which is a big issue for me, so be careful not to smudge! Let's break the colours down.

The colour is dispensed from a little tube, so I advise

a little lip brush to apply!

Peek-A-Bloo

Peek-A-Bloo is a bright blue shade which I needed! It was perfect for the stage make up of Pippin, and people told me how good the blue lips looked. It really stood out on stage which was perfect. Application of this product wasn't too bad. After using a brush to apply the product to the lips I had to work the product in well to avoid streaks. Like all the Pout Paints it has a not-gloss-but-not-lipstick feel. It's more of a very high pigmented thicker gloss, that's not overly sticky. I was so impressed with this shade and how good the colour was. It's also quite glossy, but not as glossy as Pin Up is. I also added this colour, Cloud 9 and Pin Up to create a violet shade which looked so lovely.

Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is a bright white. This was a little tricky to apply due to it's pigment, and as you can see the lipstick isn't as evenly applied as I would liked it to have been. However, I'd never wear the white by itself so I wasn't too fussed, but for the purpose of the review the white wasn't as pigmented as I wanted. I found it was a little thicker compared to Peek-A-Bloo. I use the white to make more pastel colours, or get creative with gradients. Cloud 9 is still a glossy shade, but the least out of the lot. Just let down by how streaky it looks by itself.

Pin Up

Pin Up was my star buy. When I tried it on, I was completely in love. The bright blood red shade looks stunning, and is crazily pigmented. I'm a sucker for a red lipstick, so I was so impressed with how this looked. It looks really good just over my natural lip line to create a more plump look. This is a glossy red - And I normally stay very clear from gloss - But I just love how this looks. There was also only a teeny bit of  bleeding, so a thumbs up from me. A dream to apply with a brush, easy application and spot on with the consistency. What's not to love? I can't explain enough how much I love this! My new favourite red for sure. Move over Mac's Riri Woo, there's a better red on the block. The thing I found with these Pout Paints was how it will go on your teeth for the first few moments off application, but after blotting the inner part of your lips and a little wear, this does stop happening. That aside I found the Pout Paints really long wearing. 

Let's get creative. With the Peek-A-Bloo all over and Cloud 9 in the inner lips, you can create a ombre effect. The styles are endless with these Pout Paints.

Mix it up a bit to choose a colour for any mood or occasion.

 L-R, Pastel Green, Black and Gold.

These Dip-It Eyeliner from Sleek are pretty good. I love the gorgeous gold and I find that the pigment in that beauty is spot on. However, Black and Pastel Green let me down slightly. Pastel Green is a pretty mint green with a slight hint of shimmer, but wasn't as pigmented as I'd like and found it a little streaky to apply. But once getting the grips of it, I could achieve a pretty spring-time look. I love that the Black shade is completely matte, but it lacked in intensity. However, I reach for it a lot for a smokey eye as it just suits a smokey look perfectly. The staying power on all of these are pretty good, and last the day, although with teary eyes or oily eyelids these can smudge slightly. These are handy for my kit, but the bottom note is that I probably wont repurchase these again, but there are worse eyeliners out there on the high street - So these aren't that bad.

Overall, my best buy was the Pout Paints, especially the beautiful Pin Up. Grab the Pout Paints for £4.99 each online with the Dip-It Eyeliners for £4.49. Or grab them at your nearest Superdrug.

NEAL & WOLF HAIR PRODUCTS - HEAT PROTECTION, SMOOTHING BLOW-DRY BALM AND INTENSIVE CARE TREATMENT REVIEW

I was delighted to be approached by the team at Neal & Wolf asking for my hair type, and to send down some products for me to try out. My hair is naturally curly (super ringlets/frizz) and is constantly straightened. I told them I had frizzy hair which is put under the heat a lot, so they recommended these and sent them out straight away. First impression? When I opened the parcel I was greeted to a gorgeous aroma, which reminded me of something. After a good hunt around my perfumes, I came across Insolence, which smells incredibly similar. The scent of these hair products is classy and delicate. It's not too over powering or sweet, so I really think Neal & Wolf have hit the nail on the head on the scent front.

I love how the packaging is simple and classy, their pretty Neal & Wolf logo on the front, with a embossed pattern across some of the product which is visible in the light is a pretty touch. I love how the whole collection of hair products all look similar. 

Intensive Care Treatment

Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm

I put these to use straight away, and have been using them the past week to give them a good trial. I first tried out the Intensive Care Treatment which is for all hair types. When I tried this out I was greeted by the gorgeous scent again, which I am literally obsessed with! I applied it to my wet hair after shampooing which a standard shampoo and left on for the 3-5 minutes the product recommended. After drying my hair I could notice a huge difference, my hair was silky, soft, had no tangles and looked a lot more healthier. Hallelujah! My hair still had a little fluff to it, but that is only because my hair is super curly naturally, but this is where the Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm came into play. 

The next time I washed my hair I then applied a small amount of the balm into my hair before drying, and my hair was frizz free. YES! It added moisture to my hair, which it claimed to do, so frizz was now a thing of the past. I was so surprised how quickly it smoothed out my rebellious of hairs, so I was very impressed. Could this brand be my new obsession? Yes. I think it could easily be. 

Before straightening I then applied a few spritz of the Heat Protection spray which I was most excited about. I love this spray. It has the same gorgeous scent which I am in love with so that alone made me happy! This spray claims to protect up to 220ºC and keeps your hair silky with its meadowfoam seed oil. And boy did it deliver. It protected my hair like a dream, leaving my hair silky with no 'straw' like feel to the hair which it can get after constant exposure to heat. It let my hair feeling super silky and I couldn't help but wave my hair around.

Overall, I am a very happy Hannah, with swishy hair that smells gorgeous, even the day after washing my hair I could still smell the pretty scent. My hair looks healthy, silky and incredibly manageable. What more could a girl need?

Intensive Care Treatment is £12.95*, Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm for £11.95* and the star product for me is the Heat Protection for £10.95*.Grab a bottle of beauty from the Neal & Wolf shop online.

SOAP & GLORY SMOULDER KOHL SUPERBLACK WATERPROOF EYELINER SWATCH AND REVIEW

I haven't bought a black eyeliner in years. Not for myself anyway. I never used it in my teen years and I hadn't used it at all until now. If I needed it I'd hop to my mum's room and steal hers for a bit. Recently I've been loving smokey eyes for daytime and nighttime, and I needed a black eyeliner to complete the look. When taking a browse in Boots to find one that I liked I wondered over to Soap & Glory to check out their lip balms - Which I also picked up! Naughty Hannah. Oh, and a liquid eyeliner (Which originally was the prime reason to go into town anyway!). I picked this up at it's great price tag at £5, not really sure what to expect. 

As soon as I got home I went to work on a smokey eyed look and sweeped this on my waterline. I don't know about you, but I have the worlds most watery eyes and I wasn't expecting this to last, even though this is waterproof. First I was pleasantly surprised by how it melted onto my lash line. I then noticed how black it looked too, and the shade is appropriately named Superblack. By that point I was already impressed, and for £5 I was pretty happy. 4 hours on after a show I looked in the mirror and was greeted with no black marks under my eyes. Really? I checked again to make sure. My eyeliner had stayed put. Thinking it was a fluke, I wore smokey eyes throughout the week and noticed that it still wouldn't budge! An absolute miracle. When playing around with the eyeliner I also noticed how easy it is to blend to create and effortless smokey eye. It's true to say that I have no idea why I never picked this up sooner. An added bonus is the sharper on the end, I'm always asking my flat mates for one as I'm constantly loosing mine, so this is just ideal.

Thank you Soap & Glory! I cannot wait to use this more often! Grab yours for £5 from Boots now. Choose from Superblack or Brown.

SLEEK I-DEVINE LAGOON PALETTE SWATCH AND REVIEW

It's no secret that I love all things mystical. Fairies, trolls, pixies, elves, witches and magic. It's also no secret that I am a musical theatre student... That aside I've always loved mermaids, and when Sleek released a palette inspired by the mystical creatures of the deep I couldn't refuse. 

When I first opened the palette I was greeted by soft shimmery hues and deep delights. The one that caught my eye the most was the pop of the coral in the bottom right corner, appropriately named Ariel. There are 3 mattes in this collection and the rest are gorgeously shimmery shades.

On the top row, L-R we have Sassea, Deep Water, Reflection, Emerald, Oyster and Black Pearl.
Sassea is a bright yet soft shimmery teal that reminds me of swimming in the red sea in Egypt last summer. It has very subtle lime/gold shimmer to make this shade gorgeous. 

Deep Sea is a favourite of mine. This shade is a matte egg plant colour that has soft red tones to it which you can kind of see when swatched. I love using this as a crease colour with the shade Night Sky. Deep Sea has great colour pay off which I really love and is blended well too.

Reflection is a very soft powder pink shimmer which looks really pretty washed over the lids or as a highlight. I love this shade and looks lovely blended with other colours in this palette.

Emerald looks rather bright in the pan but only comes across like that on the lids after a few layers. It has subtle blue tones to it and looks lovely alongside Sassea.

Oyster is stunning. It's really well pigmented and shimmers gorgeously, picking up light effortlessly. It makes a perfect high lighter when used softly, but this cream toned white also looks lovely on its own or in the inner corner of the eyes.

Black Pearl is a shimmery dark black that has brilliant colour pay off. The shimmer in this is very subtle and almost has a 'wet look' to it which I really love with this mermaid themed palette. I really love this black and I can't be more excited to use it!

On the second row of the Lagoon palette we have L-R, Pink Jewel, Sand Dollar, Underworld, Sea Shell, Night Sky and Ariel.

Pink Jewel is a pretty peach colour with gold shimmer. I really like this shade but I feel it's seen before in a lot of palettes across different brands. However I really love how buttery this feels and it has the perfect amount of gold and colour pay off. It's a perfect spring shade! 

Sand Dollar is a lovely antique gold colour with lovely shimmer. I really love this on the lids on it's own, but teams up perfectly with Sea Shell. I love the colour payoff and I think it's a great addition to this palette. Reminds me of a golden beach!

Under World is a pretty shimmery blue that I can really imagine mystical mermaids swimming in. I like the formula of this one but I can't imagine wearing this on it's own. This shade would have to be teamed up with a few more colours. I love how bright yet subtle this shade is.

Sea Shell is a bronze beauty with ah-mazing colour pay off. Personally I think it's one of the shimmery colours with the best pay off. This looks lovely as a crease/shading colour and glides on really well. I really love this colour and can see it getting a lot of use.

Night Sky is beautiful. Sitting next to Ariel reminds me of a gorgeous sunset. This matte beauty has great colour pay off and glides on lovely. I love using this and I can't stop staring at it!

Ariel is my favourite shade and one of the reasons I wanted this palette. I was not disappointed! It's super bright and has great pigmentation! I was so happy with this shade and have been wearing it teamed with some other colours from the palette. This shade is super bright, so if you're not a colour braver, this shade wont be touched!

Overall I am a very happy Hannah. This palette has gorgeous colours with lovely formulas and shimmers. The mattes are to die for and the shimmers remind me of what could be in the deep sea... Grab this beauty for £7.99 from Sleek or pop down to your local Superdrug.

What do you think of this gorgeous palette?

Would you wear any of these shades?

Which shade is your favourite and lease favourite shade.

I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading, beautiful! 

REVLON GIRLY NAIL ENAMEL SWATCH

I'm a sucker for glitter, and a sucker for polish. So Relvon's Girly caught my eye when birthday shopping. I was too excited to see it and had to get it. It's hundreds and thousands of princess-like glitter how could I refuse? I love Revlon polishes for high street value, even though they're a little pricier than some, and I had to add this to my forever growing collection. Girly has gorgeous medium hex purple, dark pink and pale pink glitter accompanied by small clear iridescent glitter and small dark pink, purple and light pink glitter. These gorgeous glitter pieces float around in a thin pale, yet bright, varnish. Over a pink varnish, this adds great sparkle to the nails. When applied a few layers, I applied 2, it still looks slightly sheer but it still works. This lasts a few days on the nails before chipping and is a bit of a pain to remove. What glitter isn't, right? That aside I love how pink and pretty it is - Sequin style nails are all the rage at the moment and Revlon has brought this shade out at the right time.

Grab yours for £6.49 from Boots or Superdrug. I believe that Superdrug have £2 off Revlon nail enamel at the moment too!

What do you think of this?

What is your favourite Revlon polish?

I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading, beautiful!

KONAD CLASSIC COLLECTION 2 REVIEW, HOW TO AND DETAILS

I've been wanting Konad for a while and when I walked through Colchester to uni I came across Nail Delights, a shop dedicated to having the most beautiful nails. You can follow them on Facebook, or shop online at their Nail Delights store where they ship worldwide. Also, if you shop between now and 30th of April, enter 5OFF30 at the checkout and you can grab £5 off £30. Also, free delivery within in the UK if you spend £10 or more - Which is easily done! - or worldwide when you spend £15. They also have a Daily Deal where I picked up a Konad plate from £6 to £3 - Bargain! The staff are so nice in store and are willing to help and are always friendly.

The Konad kit contains 7 Image Plates, 2 Scrappers, 1 Double Ended Stamper with two sizes, a Image Plate Holder, 5 Princess Special Nail Polish and 1 Top Coat. It also comes with a mini Konad catalog and a Konad DVD showing you how to achieve amazing nail designs. The box it comes with is gorgeous, engraved with the Konad signature and embossed flowers around the sides. Inside, everything is laid out beautifully in a purple silk, perfect for a princess. This collection RRP's for £70 with around £90 worth of bits, but Nail Designs do it for a generous £40 at the moment. Below are some images of the kit, some nail designs I did, and a step by step on how to use this kit.

On the side of the box.

L-R, Princess Polishes in Cool Red, Yellow and Deep Jungle.

L-R, Princess Polishes in White, Top Coat and Gold Black.

 Stamper, Image Plate Holder and 2 Scrapers.

DVD and Konad Catalog.

 M20 Image Plate.

 M36 Image Plate.

 M51 Image Plate.

 M57 Image Plate.

 M53 Image Plate.

 M59 Image Plate.

M45 Image Plate.

Making amazing nails is so easy with Konad. The possibilities are endless and there's an Image Plate for everyone! If you're not very good with the nail art brushes or pens, then this is so easy and anyone can create beautiful nails. So how do you do it?

• Grab a Konad polish of your choice. Some polishes by other brands may work, but Konad polishes are thick and pigmented making them perfect for this. Also, the Princess polishes don't dry as normal polishes so avoid using them as a standard polish. 
• With the polish, apply it to the design of your choice. Now this is the part you have to be quick.
• Quickly scrap off the polish with the scraper until you can see the design. Fast, roll the stamper over the design, picking it up onto the stamper. Be careful not to just stamp the stamper down and to roll if over instead.
• With the same rolling motion, apply the stamper over the nail until the design is on the nail in the desired way.

It's that simple! Cleaning your plate and scrapper is easy too, with a ear bud dipped in polish remover sweep over the plate until it's clean. As I said, the possibilities are endless, and below are the nail designs I was wearing this week. The Zebra print is the first one I ever did, and as you can see it's slightly rough, but still looks good. Another point is the top coat. A top coat is ideal for lasting wear of your Konad prints. With the zebra print look I used a standard clear polish which as you can see, dragged the design. The top coat that came with the Konad kit which I used on the last design of the red flowers and blue and white gradient works really well with the designs. The only tip I can give is to apply the top coat as quickly and as softly as possible.

So there we have it! My Konad kit is my new love for easy nail designs and is so quick to do as well. Let me know what plate and design you like most! Thanks for reading, beautiful!

 I used the Cool Red polish for the zebra print using Image Plate M57.

 Using the White Konad polish I used the Image Plate M57 to create the lace effect and applied my own glitter polish.

With my gradient nails, check out my tutorial for this here, I used Cool Red again and M57 Image Plate.