Honk If You Love OPI!

I'm sure all of you with other halves know the puzzled look on their faces when you mention things that go on in the beauty blogging world, like "hauls" or "Illamasqua" or "swatching", and my boyfriend's no different (he likes to entertain me by saying "MINERALIZED SKINFINISH!" :P). But I think it's super sweet when they support your blog like mine does, and this time he's given me something to post about! :D

He was off to Amsterdam with a bunch of work friends, and he knows that whenever I stop by Schipol Airport, I always get myself some OPI - so he said he was going to bring me one back and to choose one. What's the fun in that? I told him to pick one for me :P

OPI Honk If You Love OPI

OPI Honk If You Love OPI (I can't help but notice the symmetry there lol) is a gorgeous dark, almost black purple that has a very strong red undertone - like a really dark magenta, and it is SUCH a classy winter shade. It's a cream finish so there's no shimmer, but as with any OPI, the glossy finish adds some oomph to the colour. The colour's a bit more feminine than a black, and you can really see the magenta-y shade when the light hits your nails. And it goes amazingly with glitter top coats!

As usual the formula is flawless - pigmented, fast-drying, glossy, easy to apply brush. It will take a lot for a brand to knock OPI off my favourite nailpolish spot! :) I think the name is very apt for me as well ;)

I also felt like I wanted to give Ben, and other other halves, a bit of credit here on the blog cuz he does trudge around department stores with me, deals with my tweeting obsession and listens to me babble on about MINERALIZED SKINFINISHES! but he's so very supportive of my blog and I'm sure many other halves are. It's easy to forget how slow it can be to listen through things you have no idea about, so I think they all deserve a pat on the back, a great big hug, and a blog post once in a while! ;)

You can buy OPI from ASOS with Free Delivery and with 10% off if you have an NUS Extra card :)

Do you have this OPI shade?

What's the funniest thing your other half/friends have said about blogging? :P

<3yu

P.S. I may be a bit MIA in the next week or so as I have a deadline coming up and I'm spending a lot of time with Ben and Christmas shopping as I am back home in Japan on Sunday! Will still be checking Twitter and my email though ;)

NOTD: Cheap As Chips Taupe

I have an unhealthy obsession with taupe - especially when it comes to eyeshadows, dresses, and especially nail polishes. The variety of taupes I have in my collection is slightly appalling! Yet I've added a new one to my collection a couple of weeks ago, for a grand total of £0.99 from H&M - and I think it's actually one of my favourite taupes!

And it's excellent quality! It has a nice gloss to it, the brush is round but has enough give to become flat when painting, it dries relatively fast, it stays on for a lot longer than the likes of Rimmel Lasting Finish or Lycra Pro, and you really only need 2 layers to get that opacity. As you can see, it's not a huge bottle - but that means you're more likely to use it up before it get gloopy :) Did I mention the colour is the prettiest milky taupe?

I also found that having a gold glitter polish is a great thing - it helps to bling up and kind of liven up a gorgeous cream shade :)

Have you tried any of the H&M polishes? :)
Who's as much of a taupe feind as I am?!

<3yu

Budget Holiday Nail Bling!

After seeing the OPI Muppet's collection, I felt the need to look for some sort of holiday, blinging, chunky, colourful nailpolish. I looked through OPI and Essie and just found nothing that was spot on - I was surprised myself when I saw an affordable, all blingin', all holiday nail polish by Mavala:

213 Pure Diamond

No, the packaging didn't have anything to do with it at all, of course not! :P

It's not as chunky as I first had in mind, and I still haven't figured out what to layer under it but in the end - it seemed to work out for the best as I absolutely love it!

The photos don't quite capture the rainbow reflection, or the fact that the nails aren't as see-through as they seem :( But it's definitely a toned-down wearable version of GOSH's Holographic nail polish that can be layered over anything or worn on its own for a subtle bling :)

The formula is also amazing with Mavala, as they are easy to paint, has a glossy finish, ridiculously pigmented (well obviously not in this case) and dries really quickly!

For £4.10, I think it's a great option for your holiday nail bling! I love Mavala because of the price and the amount - I don't think it's often that you use up a big bottle of nail varnish that cost you £10, so it's almost better that you get half the amount for half the price :)

What's your holiday season nailpolish of choice? :)

<3yu

Products I Miss Most..

We all do it - we overpack when we're going somewhere, and we still manage to forget things or not think of a situation that may require different/more make up - am I right? :P I've definitely had that these past few weeks, and sure there have been several products I thought "dang, I wish I had that with me!", but there have been a couple that I thought that on several occasions!

Here are probably the ones I've thought of the most..

NARS Sin

(I thought it was an autumn/winter colour but it'd be a nice natural accent on the face when I'm not wearing e/s and having a tan. Pinks/corals makes me look a be clowny atm..) 

 28 Neutral Palette

(I want this for highlighting - not liking MAC Brule very much - and for matte light browns!)

Lipbalms

(I only brought my Body Shop Lip Roll On, which is lovely - but it's a bit wet. I miss that balmy feel! The ones in particular that I miss are the BodyShop Born Lippy, the LipIce ones and the Burt's Bees.) 

 OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy (centre)

(A sheer nude that when you have long nails, can make you look like you have french nails - compliments the lightness of summer! I've only got cream/opaque or bright colours atm!)

MAC Style

(Like I said, corals and pinks can look a bit clowny on me at, but MAC Style is relatively sheer - so it'd be a nice wash of colour on my cheeks right about now :( )

Sigma F80 (right)

(Getting a bit sick of applying foundation with my hands - it can get a bit dirty, and I always have to be cautious about streaks! At the same time, I'm not quite sure how often I would've used it cuz it doesn't seem to work with my Diorskin Forever.) 

Pirates of the Caribbean Box Set

(It's not make up but I've watched this set more times than I care to mention - atm I only have the third one, because it was what was in my laptop when I left the UK and as much as I love the film, it's getting a bit repetitive.. AND my favourite one is the second one.)

and finally..

Dior Amber Diamond

(No, I'm not quite sure you can miss something you never had - but I miss having a shimmery white highlight for my inner corner, and I miss highlighting my cheek bones. I actually only have 1 e/s shimmery highlight and 1 powder highlight and that one can look quite white on me when I'm tan, so I'm thinking it would be wise to invest in this at a early stage so I don't spend so much finding the perfect one. I've swatched it and it was a bit shimmery but I reckon it's cuz your finger picks up a lot! Other than that I thought it was perfect, esp cuz I've heard it can be used as eyeshadow too! So I'm debating using some vouchers to get this baby.. of course, after I try it on my face :))

A bit of a self-ramble there at the end, lol, oops. But I'm thinking this is proof that all these products are, or have been at one point, some of my favourite products, as I don't need to see them to think about them and how good they are, and they just pop into mind when you want something in particular!

It sucks, but it's also a good feeling cuz you know you've got some gems in your collection :)

What products have you missed when you were out and about? :)

<3yu

I'm Obsessed - Essie Curtain Call & CANMAKE Jewel Glitter Nail

I just wanted to show you guys the nails I've been sporting for the past couple of days, and have NOT stopped looking at, I still can't get over how in love I am with them. This is the nail polish that, despite being extortionate in Japan and cheaper in the UK, I HAD to have on the spot, and another one which I think is a close dupe of Deborah Lippmann's Boom Boom Pow:

Essie Curtain Call & CANMAKE Jewel Glitter Nail in 02

I think this pic is more accurate but the first one looked prettier ;P

Look at that BLING BLING! AHHH!

After my last mixed encounter with Essie, I was surprised that even at an higher price, I was so desperate to have Curtain Call. Curtain Call is a baby pink pearl with a hint of peach which brings the most elegant touch to your fingertips. As far as I could tell, this was much too graceful for my personality, but the colour was so gorgeous I wore it around for a day :P

Then I discovered CANMAKE's Jewel Glitter range and fell in love with this gold and instantly thought of Deborah Lippmann's Boom Boom Pow, and thought it would look amazing with the previous day's purchase, if only to add a bit of edge to the princess-perfect nails :P

Ugh, *melts* - I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT! (If I say so myself.. which I do.)

I apologize for the gradual chipping at the roots, I haven't had the chance to photograph in natural sunlight and couldn't pass up doing a post on this so I waited a few days :P

However I hope you can look past that, and see some serious chic nudeness going on. I absolutely adore it, it's something about the elegance of Curtain Call, and the modest bling of the Jewel Glitter Nail - Idk how to describe it but if you couldn't tell, I'm in love! Although next time I may put the bling on all fingers.. what do you think?

And the best part is that Curtain Call is a colour that makes you look polished and that you can wear for absolutely anything, and CANMAKE's Jewel Glitter Nail can add a bling to any other nail polish :)

I know it's hard to get a hold of CANMAKE abroad, but I still recommend Essie Curtain Call 100% - the formula is thick and decently pigmented, and while I'm still not a fan of the brush as it's round, the application was pretty okay. All of this is overlooked by the fact that the colour, in my eyes, is the spot-on pearly nude, and will join my other go-to nude nailpolishes! :)

What do you think? :)

What's your perfect all-around polish?

<3yu

For Audrey, Like Tiffany.

A few weeks ago, Beautylish tweeted this tutorial using China Glaze's For Audrey, and out of boredom I clicked on it - and then got instantly enabled. I so need some nail gems! So off I went to beautyzone2007 and got myself the infamous colour that is supposed to be a Tiffany & Co. box blue. It arrived today and it is GORGEOUS.

In the bottle, it actually looks a bit lighter and duller than a Tiffany & Co. box, which even if it was when applied I wouldn't have minded as it was still a gorgeous colour (it was a bit separated though as you can see in the pic - had to shake it up!). And although I'd just painted my nails the night before, curiousity got the best of me and I tested if it really was the colour of the box..

Pshyeah, it is.

Now this is also my first China Glaze, and the formula is a lot thicker, creamier and more pigmented than I was used to. It reminded me of a thicker version of the Rimmel 60 Seconds polishes.

I have to say that OPI formulas are still my favourite, as with China Glaze I found it hard to get that right amount on the brush so that you have enough to coat your whole nail, but not enough to be blobby and uneven. But the pigmentation is insane, and I think the thick consistency may be to maintain this?

I have always loved the colour range of China Glaze polishes from what I saw on blogs, and For Audrey does NOT dissapoint - I can't stop staring at my nails! And the drying speed is Yu-approved, and there is a good amount of gloss - I am SO impatient with nail polishes, so Yu-approved nailpolish drying speed is very rare ;P.

I do love the packaging, I love how it's unique but cute and the amount you get is very practical (I always wonder if I'll ever actually finish an OPI!).

I'm not a fan of the brush as it's quite round and doesn't have a flat edge (Barry M-esque), but if there is a unique colour from China Glaze, I wouldn't not buy it just because of this. I think if they changed the brush, the thick consistency wouldn't bother me as much!

I just threw in a pic between Barry M Blue Moon and Rimmel 60 Seconds Sky High because I felt like it was kind of the mix of them two - not sure if For Audrey is a bit greener :) All in all, I LOVE this colour, and while I had buyer's remorse when I first got it, I have no regrets anymore!

Do you have a favourite China Glaze shade?

<3yu

P.S. This post is dedicated to Vivianna - cuz she's been wanting this polish, and I need to enable her, for once.

P.S.S Check the new banner, layout and the favicon! :) Do you like?

Nails Inc., & In Style Magazine

I fully intended to avoid the magazine freebies this month but I couldn't help myself with the In Style offering of Nails Inc., - not because they were Nails Inc., but because of these two colours:

L: Fashion Fawn, R: Electric Teal

Fashion Fawn originally caught my eye because I thought it kind of resembled Nails Inc., London from the Boots offer from about 2 years ago, which I totally missed out on, and it's a pinkier version of Caramel from Nails Inc., which was in the Boots offer last year. It's a great taupey nude!

Electric Teal is a gorgeous deep dark teal - to be incredibly cheesy, reminds me of the seas in the Philippines. It really does play with your mind, I cannot put my finger on whether it's forest green or dark blue - very interesting colour, and I think a great classy colour for the summer that's a nice breather from the bright in-yo-face colours :)

The third colour you can get is a bright orange, which as much as it was pretty, I skipped on because I wasn't really sure if I'd wear it very often. Now that I'm looking at the pictures though, I think I would - I just dunno who to give the extra magazine to, LOL. At the same time the colour wasn't so unique that I couldn't get it from any other brand, whereas Fashion Fawn and Electric Teal I think are unique enough :)

I just applied Electric Teal, and the application was amazing. I'm usually not the biggest fan of Nails Inc., brushes or formulas, so I only ever get them when they're freebies, but I felt the formula dried faster, was a lot more opaque and very creamy. The brush also did not bug me either. Sadly it's getting a bit cloudy so I couldn't get a great pic up for you guys :(

I also really like the magazine! It's a no bullshit, straight to the point, well-balanced mag :) Can see myself getting some in the future, I just wish they had smaller sizes for my bag!

Did you pick any of the In Style Nails Inc., up? :)

<3yu

Spring Nails! - Rimmel Lycra Pro Aqua Cool :)

I'm back with another nail post - yaaaaay :). So if you haven't seen my haul post from the other day (here), I picked up some of the new Rimmel Lycra Pro Professional Finish nailpolishes! I tried one out last night and fell in LOOOOOVE, as I do with most Rimmel polishes, so I thought I'd show you guys :)

Here I've got Rimmel's Lycra Pro Professional Finish in 420 Aqua Cool, which is like a cobalt blue (which I usually hate, but how lovely is it for a Spring-time nail colour?), and Rimmel's 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 405 Rose Libertine, which is like a warm milky mid-tone pink :)

I absolutely ADORE the new Lycra Pro, and have always loved the 60 Seconds one. They both have the same wide brush that makes application so easy, the formulation for both are just the right consistency - not too runny, not too thick, and they both dry quite quickly (quick enough for my patience standards, which is quite impressive really) and finish with a natural gloss.

However, the Lycra Pro in Aqua Cool (not sure about the other colours) was a bit sheerer than 60 Seconds, although 3 layers did the trick :) I couldn't tell you about the 10 day lasting claim, but we'll see! They did increase the amount from 8mL to 12mL as you can see from the bottle sizes - I don't know why, but fine with me! :P

I would definitely recommend checking the new Lycra Pro out, they have very unique colours such as the one above. I think this one was the most unique out of them all, but they also did have one which looked like a very close dupe to Barry M's Dusky Mauve. But because I love this formula and brush so much more, I can see myself getting the Rimmel one rather than the Barry M ones. Also, these are on offer at the moment at Superdrug for 3 for 2 (which works out at about £9) so there's my tip for the day ;)

Have you tried any Rimmel polishes? What are your recent nailpolish loving guys? :)

<3yu

Love at First Sight! Essie - Body Language :)

I've got my first ever Essie - and it was one of those 'love at first sight' products when I received it! :) Hadn't had those in ages, so I was excited from the get-go. I've heard so much about Essie and honestly I just wanted to try it out to see if I'd like it, and see if it'd compare to my love for OPIs.

 I've been looking for a really really light grey-ish taupe colour for a while, and I was ecstatic when I saw this online - it was just a coincidence that it was from Essie:

Essie - Body Language

It's so frustrating that the picture doesn't do it justice :( It's like a extremely light taupe, and against my warm-toned skin it brings out a bit more of the purple-ish tint which I looooove. This is exactly what I was looking for, as a perfect Spring nude. I didn't want a pastel pink or peach - I wanted something stranger, but light enough to be Spring-ey :) It feels SO good to have got it right on the first buy! (Sorry for the messy application.. lol)

This picture is a bit more accurate :)

In terms of the formulation though, I wasn't a fan. The brush I found was a bit thin, but I could live with that because the consistency was quite watery, and so the liquid kind of spread on its own beyond the brush. However, it was also kind of streaky and even after 3 coats I wasn't sure if it was completely even throughout the whole nail. In addition, the drying time was no where near as short as OPI.

So while the colour is to die for, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't have found a more perfect colour from any brand, that would be the only reason why I'd buy from Essie again. I've heard that they have a new formula out in the States, and the packaging is a little bit different, so I'll probably try them again when I see some of those on eBay :)

Do you have any polishes from Essie? Which one's are your favourite?

<3yu

Spring Polishes from Rimmel! :)

Guys, I am seriously in love with the sun recently - in LOVE. This morning my boyfriend and I took a very scenic and cheery walk through campus to Tesco, and on the way stopped by Boots and I indulged myself in some Rimmel polishes, as they currently are on 3 for 2!

L: I Love Lasting Finish in 260 Green Grass, C: 60 Seconds in 405 Rose Libertine, R: 60 Seconds in 430 Coralicious

Last Spring I tried my first Rimmel polishes and I loved them, especially the 60 Seconds one - they are so incredibly easy to apply due to the brush shape, dries quickly and are easy to take off. And you only need 2 coats, which I find sometimes isn't enough for even OPI. I've never tried the Lasting Finish ones, but I'm excited to!

I get the impression that Rimmel polishes are great for bright vibrant colours, as the other 2 I have are turquoise and milky coral, and probably explains why I don't really turn to them outside of Spring/Summer. There were loads of others that I wanted too, so I may be going back - may be worth a check for you too!

Anyway, I've just put on Coralicious and it is GORGEOUS. Will probably do a post on each of these, but wanted to give everyone a heads up on the 3 for 2 offer. The 60 Seconds are £3.69 each, and the I Love Lasting Finish is £2.99. If I may say so, I much prefer Rimmel polishes over Barry M!

Have you tried Rimmel nail polishes? :)

<3yu

Spring Pink Nails! - OPI Elephantastic Pink

I can't believe how warm it's getting here in England these days, I am loving it! My make-up is changing, my wardrobe is changing, but I want to bring your attention to my changing nail habits. No more nudes and taupes, it is all brights from here.

The first one I want to show you is OPI's Elephantastic Pink:

It's a toned-down version of a mid-toned neon pink (if that makes any sense at all). It is not as blue-toned or light as BarryM's Bright Pink, and it is just so extremely playful. It's not exactly what I thought it would be - I thought it would be warmer but I like it nonetheless :)

However the formula seems to be a little bit sheerer than the other OPIs, in that in some bits I can see through the streaks after 2 coats - not happy, but hey!

I got this from Beautyzone2007's eBay shop, and I believe it took about 9 days to arrive from the States - not bad at all! :)

Have you switched up your nails since the warm weather? What have you got on your nails for the Spring? :)

<3yu

P.S. I want to show super lovin' to my Mom for sending me these today:

Bless! The watch is absolutely gorgeous and the toothbrushes are to die for.. Confession: I use a similar Little Miss one atm hehe <3

Valentine's Nails w/ OPI Katy Perry Teenage Dream :)

Just wanted to show you 1) my nails for tomorrow 2) the extent of my nail art abilities 3) another way to wear OPI Katy Perry Teenage Dream..

I think it's so pretty and so feminine, and it's a much better way of wearing OPI Katy Perry's Teenage Dream (post here) than wearing it all over. The nude layer is OPI Malaysian Mist.

Hope you like, and hope you try :)

<3yu

O.P.I Katy Perry - Teenage Dream :)

When Katy Perry's OPI collection first came out I'd never tried OPI and had no interest in doing so (silly me). So a week ago when I was looking for a break from all the matte OPI's I've been trying, I was surprised to see that the swatch I quite liked was 'Teenage Dream' from Katy Perry's collection - how ironic.

Anyway, after a few days of deliberation, I got it. And I haven't looked back, even if this is the only OPI I've paid full price for! :P This is why:

IT'S SOOOO PRETTYYYYYY!

Pink + Bling? What more could I want?!

The photograph does not do justice to the amount of bling that is in this baby. It's a magenta-ey pink liquid with lots of and lots of glitters, both tiny and chunky. The tiny glitters almost create a pearlescent/shimmer effect, while the chunky glitters catch the light like crazy and add that multi-colored bling to your nails. 

I think my biggest fear was how sheer it was going to be, but it's not as sheer as some polishes, and incredibly buildable, because believe it or not that picture has 4 layers on it and it does not feel heavy or clumpy. You can't see it but with 4 layers it's pretty much packed with shimmer, and so you do have the choice of how you want it to look :) Even with 2 layers on, it's nice - just more baby pink than it is magenta, and the shimmer effect is slightly less, and suitable for non-party occasions :).

My way to use this in the future will probably be on the tips of my nails after I've put pale nude colour all over the nail. I think that'll create a very feminine and pretty effect :)

Have you gotten anything from Katy Perry's collection? :)

<3yu

P.S. This is only the start of my nail varnish posts.. hope you don't mind :P

O.P.I Barefoot in Barcelona!... I wish!

I wish I was friggin' barefoot in Barcelona, it's miserable weather today!

Anyway! I received this in the post yesterday from the lovely Marilou's blogsale (alongside another nailpolish that I bought from her - shall be a surprise for another day), and it has been a colour that I've been eye-ing up since my first encounter with O.P.I. It's called Barefoot in Barcelona and this is what it looks like..

(Idk if it's just me but please click on it, as the colour seems to change when I do.. and it's more accurate in the real size!)

Yes, I know, very similar to my other 2 O.P.I's but they are quite different when swatched and I cannot have enough nudes - I love them! Check out the tag on OPI's to see the other posts :)

Barefoot in Barcelona is a brick-reddish nude, that can look a bit pink-ish in certain lighting. It's something that I think only middle-dark skintone people would call a true nude. On fair people, I have a feeling it may even have a bit of an ageing effect - but I wouldn't know! However, on mid-toned people like me, it's just a bit darker than your typical nude and gives a very sophisticated look.

Do any of you guys have this colour? What are your favourite OPI nudes? :)

I have loads of nailpolishes waiting to be blogged about, so brace yourselves for a nailpolish-infested week from me!

<3yu

What Does Your Nail Polish Say About You?

Since my make-up ban, I've started to take more interest in nail polishes (clever me!), and I've been buying LOTS.

I just saw this on my Facebook feed and thought that it was worth sharing. It's like a psychoanalysis of what nailpolish colour you are wearing.These things are quite attractive, but when it comes to the one that relates to you, you either totally agree to it (or you want to believe you're what they say you are ;P) or you're like.. "this is crap".

I currently have on my newly bought Caramel by Nails Inc., from their Diet Coke offer from Boots..

So I am apparently earthly and energetic. And I'm thinking.. this is a bit crap. What do they say about your nailpolish? :)

Your Nail Polish Color Palette

Fire-Engine Red: You're sassy, self-assured, and not afraid to be dramatic. Bright red is a bold, look-at-me color that is a symbol for passion, fire, and confidence. You love the spotlight, and you take charge of situations.
Hot Pink: You're spunky and energetic. Pink is a color that is associated specifically with women, and hot pink lets you show your spunk and spice.
Pale Pink: Painting your nails pale pink is a subtle expression. You are likely quiet, or at least you don't want to stand out, and youthful. Pale pink is not significantly different from the color of your nails (if you're caucasian), but you still want to show your soft side.
Black: Painting your nails black is a classic symbol of anti-establishment. It doesn't mean you are depressed or going goth, but it's a way of rebelling against the norm and showing some of the darkness in your personality.
Navy Blue: This is a color of sophistication and authority. Wearing this color on your nails tells people to listen up, because you're in charge.
Aqua (Light) Blue: You're showing the youthful and calm side of your personality when you paint your nails a light blue. Aqua is a cool color, a nonchalant color.
French Manicure: You are glamorous and professional. You don't need a whole new color; your nails look good as they are, and you simply emphasize and define yourself.
Magenta: A combination of the reds, pinks, and purples, magenta is feminine but not flashy. You are vibrant and youthful, but you don't need to be the center of attention at all times.
Orange: This color is bright and vibrant, for people who want attention drawn to them. It also symbolizes autumn and the changing seasons: a time of brightness and change.
Dark Brown: A dark and rich color, this shade of brown indicates boldness and authority. You like your nails like you like your men. Just kidding.
Maroon: Maroon is a warm color, a combo of red and purple, retaining the authority of red and the confidence of purple. It's a mature, sophisticated color that, when worn on your nails, invites respect.
Coffee-Colored: You are earthy and energetic. Tan and light brown are earth tones, cool colors that bring you closer to Mother Nature.
Green: This color invokes images of vigor and the environment. Going "green" in your nail polish exudes earthiness and spunk.
Deep Purple: Purple is the color of royalty. Wearing it on your nails shows you have a confident personality, and you're not afraid to stand out from the crowd.
Lavender: You are graceful and collected. A combination of pink and purple, lavender is feminine and confident without the youthfulness of pure pink.
(All from http://hubpages.com)

So girls, what have you got on your nails today, and are you feeling what they tell you you're feeling? ;P

<3yu

O.P.I 'Tickle My France-y' :)

I am back in England now, and en route I did a shop at the Duty Free in Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, and got myself my second O.P.I, which turned out to be Tickle My France-y :) (Was so slow to realise what the name was a twist to.. embarassing).

I know it's SO similar to Dulce de Leche in the bottle but it's actually quite different on the nails. While Dulce de Leche (see post here) is very warm and beige pink, Tickle My France-y is more lavender-grey, cool and a lot more paler.

I really like this polish, but again feel like I got it at the wrong time of year. I can't seem to find my perfect winter time dirty pink colour! Seasons aside though, I absolutely love this colour and can see myself reaching for this very often. As with my first O.P.I, not disappointed with the pigmentation, application or the drying process at all - I can't go back now! :)

Any of you guys have this colour? :)

<3yu

Yu's Guide to Simple Festive Attempts

At the moment it's 5PM on the 23rd of December, and as my dad has been repeatedly complaining about, Tokyo's Christmas spirit has lost it's appreciation in Christmas music and it is quite difficult to get in the mood (especially when I know most of my friends in the UK are going to have a White Christmas and it's bloody 12C here still!).

So I've made little attempts to get into the spirit, and I'm not a very complicated person, so I thought I'd show two things that I've done that anyone else could do, to get into the festive mood :)

Firstly, jewelry!

 This somewhat obscene earring is from Claire's and retails at £3, and it's also a part of the 3 for 2 deal that they have. Right up my street - nothing serious, something colourful and kinda cheeky. I saw this pair last year early December, mistakenly put them in a bag that I threw away, and spent Christmas without them. This year, I went back in hopes of Claire's having them again and they did! Snatched them up - they will be my Christmas earrings for a very long time :)

My second attempt was with my nails..

 

 (L to R: Glittery Red, 17 Nail Polish; Pearl Green, Barry M Emerald Green 284, Taupe/Gold, 17 Nail Polish.)

So sorry I can't tell you the exact colours of the 17 Nail Polishes as the names are on the back of the 17 Nail Library that I left in England, but I don't think any of them are limited edition (Thank you to my bf's parents for getting the set for me :)!) All these polishes are brilliant quality - I've had these on for about 3 days now, no top coat, and I've done loads of washing and other things.

I could probably do all the little Santa drawings and whatnot on my nails, cuz I do have the hand-eye coordination.. but I lack the patience of waiting for it to dry. So I thought this would be the best way to go for me :)

So yes.. simple but very effective. My mom has finally put my gift under the tree - she had waited until today because she didn't trust that I wouldn't open it before Christmas day. Lame, but probably a good idea.

What have you been doing to get in the festive mood? :)

<3yu

My First O.P.I - Dulce de Leche (yummm) :)

So as I was en route to Japan, I stopped by Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. With a 4 hour lay over, what sane girl wouldn't head straight to Duty Free? Ok, bad question, shouldn't generalise.

After hearing all this hype in the blogging world about O.P.I, I decided to give it a shot (also - not enough dosh for the likes of Chanel, YSL, etc., even in Duty Free!), and had a hard time picking between Barefoot in Barcelona and this beauty:

Dulce de Leche is kind of a relatively dark neutral pink. Not too light, dark, or blue for my skin :) Apparently it's Lauren Conrad's favourite O.P.I. I'm going to be honest.. I can't really think of what she looks like, I'm a bit celebrity-ignorant.

After approximately 20hrs (due to liquid restrictions, all items bought must be in a sealed Duty Free bag and cannot be open until final destination - twats!) I put it on, and it reminded me of a nailpolish version of Rimmel London's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight.. strange.

Definitely impressed with the quality. I am very picky with nail varnishes, as I need them to be opaque, unsmelly, easy to apply, the right consistency, dry fast, and easy to take off. Checks all the boxes (especially the last one.. amazing!). Definitely grabbing another one on the way back to Birmingham.. :)

Any suggestions for my second colour, ladies?

<3yu

P.S. Post definitely inspired by ViviannaDoesMakeUp's O.P.I post :)

Superdrug Haul & Christmas Gifts Exchange!

Today I took a day off of working, and went to visit Lisa, who lives in a small town nearby. We started off with exchanging Christmas presents (as we break up for the holidays after this week, and I probably wont go to hers until next term!), and then went shopping (joined by Danni from Frills & Spills!) as well as the pub for some nice good food :)

Here's what I got, both off her and in Superdrug!

 Lisa's Christmas Present:
- Maybelline's MNY My Gloss in.. a really pale colour :)
- Sephora Colorful Palette in Pour des Prunes No.04
- NIVEA Soft mini tub (inside joke..)
- Lebkuchen & a candy cane! :)

Superdrug Haul:
- Collection 2000 Hotlights Lipgloss in Glimmer No. 3 (£4.19) - these have a mirror and a light! :)
- Barry M Nail Paint in No. 284 Emerald Green (£2.99)
- Superdrug Mud Therapy Deep Cleansing Mud Mask (£2.49)
- Superdrug Essential Facial Wipes in Cucumber Fragrance (£0.99)

I have tried both the lipglosses and here they are:

(L: Collection 2000 Hotlights in Glimmer, R: Maybelline MNY My Gloss in a really pale colour :P)

I love both of them! :) Isn't it crazy how they are so different in the tube but so similar on the lips? The Collection 2000 one is darker in real life, but isn't crazy pigmented, but it's a 'my lips but better' shade that I love, with multi-coloured shimmer. MNY is more a less a opaque gloss with pink duo-chrome-y shimmers that tone down my lips - just what I like! :)

Here is my third Barry M Nail Paint - I do like it very much :) I would've called it 'Green with Envy' because this is what I imagine envy looks like.. lol someone shut me up! It was an attempt to get a holiday-y nail varnish, after Danni's lusting after Barry M's red glittery one.

I haven't swatched the Sephora eyeshadow, but it is safely in my 'To-Be-Used' tub (which is basically an empty Flora tub) where all my new items yet to be used temporarily stay :).

As for my mud mask (which was the first thing I grabbed in Superdrug, Idk why but it just caught my eye!), I am looking forward to a nice cuppa tea and a film with this on my face. Lol.

<3yu