Free Sample: Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana Perfume

Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana Perfume Sample

I requested this sample online and it arrived in the mail well-packaged a couple of days later.

It's a fruity apple scent with the classic perfume-y floral musk.

The 30ml is £40, and the largest size, 75ml is around £60-70. For me this is definitely a very expensive price to pay for a perfume, although not necessarily more expensive than other high end perfumes.

Update: unfortunately this sample is no longer available online to be delivered! But I'm sure you can go into store and try it there, and ask for a 5ml free sample there if you wish. I definitely recommend checking it out, although obviously perfumes are a very personal preference.

Would you like me to do a post with my top 3 favourite perfumes? I definitely have a few in mind that I've found and am completely obsessed with, and are away from the classic old-school perfume scent that to me is a bit boring and not very appealing. I prefer fruity, sweeter scents.

Would you like most posts in the future giving links to free delivered samples? Let me know in the comments below.

Current Nails: H&M Yellow

Currently I am wearing...

This bright sour yellow colour from H&M in the shade 'yellow'.

 It came in a set of 5 (I think) minis in standard colours and can't have been that expensive. I'm pretty sure they don't sell this exact set anymore but they still have nail and cosmetic products which are worth a try.

I painted two coats over a basecoat. I don't normally use a topcoat because I only like wearing one select shade for a few days anyway- usually about 4 or 5 days.

The shade is called 'yellow'... I know- creative!

What's your favourite nail polish? What do you currently have painted on your nails? Let me know in the comments below.

Clean & Clear; Dual Action Moisturiser, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Dual Action Oil Free Moisturiser from Clean & Clear, which I bought over a year ago from Superdrug.

A moisturiser, as the name suggests, is a facial product that hydrates the skin, and therefore provides a smooth, clean base for makeup. If your face has dry patches, the makeup will cling there and look cakey. I use a moisturiser in the morning and just before bed after removing my makeup, as the act of removing makeup can dry out or distress the skin.

This is a product I really grew to love.

It's probably around the £4 mark and doesn't have much of an odour. 

It is a creamy white colour, not overly liquidy nor solid in texture. You only need a really little bit- as I demonstrated by the fact it's lasted me so long, and plus it's 100ml.

It sinks really nicely into the skin.

A few minutes after application you will feel an odd sensation, not really stinging or tingling, but somewhere in between. For me, this isn't something that annoys me in any way, in fact I quite like it, but you may be different. It lasts 5-10 minutes.

Would I repurchase this product? Definitely when a few of my other moisturisers run out.

It's one of my favourites drugstore moisturisers I've tried, I might perhaps do a whole blog post on my top drugstore skincare, especially moisturisers, so let me know if that's something you'd be interested.

Have you tried this product? What drugstore skincare products should I try? Let me know in the comments below. 

Review: Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon

Review: Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayons

This product is somewhat a lipstick but is slightly thicker in formulation and extremely pigmented. They also are not simple in colour and have more to them than initially meets the eye.

The texture is a lot thicker than the sort of balm-stain products we've been seeing a lot in the drugstore recently; so not comparable to those such as the Revlon balm stains. The thick formulation is closer to that of a thick lipstick than a balm. They probably are closer in similarity to the NARS lip crayons.

They cost £4.95 from the drugstore- any Superdrug/Boots with a Barry M counter or section.

I've had these for a very long time, and only just thought of writing a review.

Ballet Pink

Ballet pink is a light white-y pink nude. It is extremely frosty and has a blue-purple sheen when it catches the light. This is not an everyday colour, but I do like it. It's interesting for use as part of a fancy dress costume or something.

Party Pink

This deep pink with dark purple undertones and lots of glitter and gloss does leave a slight stain on the lips. It is the most pigmented lip crayon I have ever used.

It would be perfect for a fancy night out as there's so much more to it than most lipsticks, it's not just a single-toned pink.

With just one swipe!

lips with no product

ballet pink

party pink

Because of the pigmentation these crayons are quite thick in formulation, but this isn't necessarily a full on negative. They are slightly sticky, but I find that all lip products are so it's not too much of a big deal.

Most are frosted and/or contain a lot of shimmer and glitter. Because of this, this product may not be for everyone.

I think there are 5+ shades in the range and you get a lot of product in them.

As they wear off during the day (though they are long lasting) the colour fades and some glitter remains. I do, however still recommend these, perhaps just try one colour out.

Do you have these products? What are your favourites from Barry M? Let me know in the comments below.

Current Nails: Sephora Don't Look Back

Currently I am Wearing...

This silver-grey purple from Sephora called 'Don't Look Back'.

I got this about a year and a half ago in France in a mini trio from Sephora, if you would like to see a full post on the set please let me know! Annoyingly we obviously can't get Sephora in the UK though.

After one day of this on my nails it had already started to chip off :O I do love the colour, although perhaps it's a bit too wintery for some of you?

Two coats with a white basecoat on underneath

I used a white basecoat underneath just to make the colour a bit more opaque as it's not too crazy on its own. You could also use a black basecoat for a darker underlying finish.

What have you currently got on your nails? Do you own any Sephora nail polish? Let me know in the comments below.

Nivea; Soft Moisturising Cream, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the Nivea soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream for face, body and hands. I bought it from Superdrug for around £5.

I use a moisturiser after cleansing my face, so before bed and before applying makeup. It smooths the skin and preps perfectly for makeup by giving you an even surface to work with.

This sunk into the skin and made my face feel soft and clean. For the amount you get, the price is really very good- 300ml last forever, especially compared to the usual 50ml or 100ml max.

In the final days when I was trying to use this up, I started using it on my feet as a foot cream overnight. It made my feet amazingly soft and supple. 

With the amount you get in this tub, I think it's alright to use it on your feet or body, but it definitely worked as a face moisturiser too. The white cream is extremely light (this is perfect for oily skin like mine) and smooths out to completely clear.

Completely empty!

Will I repurchase this? Possibly but I won't be rushing out to buy a new one asap or anything. I have other moisturisers on the go and this wasn't amazingly special. It was nice though and the price was right for the amount of product.

What moisturiser do you use? What Nivea products should I try next? Let me know in the comments below.

Coloured Heel Tips: Product Review

Transform your ordinary high heels with this cool innovative product, or replace broken/scuffed tips!

Here I am presenting to you all a product that is a new concept to me- coloured heel tips. They add a new dimension to your ordinary pair of heels, or alternatively replace those old scuffed ones. You can buy heel tips in a few different places, but mostly they are only available in the boring black or nude- not at colouredheeltips.co.uk

Coloured Heel Tips provide a bright, fun new approach to your standard heels.

In this detailed review I'll also give tips on how to actually apply these to your shoes.

Photos from the website

The idea appealed to me most because it means you can revive your plain black heels and custom-match them to an outfit without having to buy a completely new pair of shoes. You achieve the same results, as using this tiny adjustment makes your shoes look and feel like a completely different product.

Heels before with the standard black heel tip

The red is a subtle but still noticeable difference that'll have all your friends jealous!

This was the package I received in the mail.

They sent me this message:

"We are basically two girls, one of which came up with this idea of being able to accessorise your heel tips.  Let's face it we accessorise everything else!  They are currently only available in the UK as black or tan.  All our profits will be going into making more colours, but at the moment we only do red.  As two mums with young ones, we are investing in this out of our own pockets which is why the colours will be coming gradually.  The problem we have is that nobody knows they exist as they are a new idea, so we need to get them out there."

I love that the company is small run by two individuals, but they still have a professional website and safe-pay via Paypal. 

Currently they have a selection of different sizes for red heel tips, as well as black. The black ones also have the option of being circular. There are also more colours to be added, which I am extremely excited about.

I received the red in 9.5mm size, because I could tell from the fantastic size guide (x) that these would fit my black kitten heels... And they did. Perfectly.

Coloured Heel Tips also do 13.5mm and 19mm in the 'D' shape.

"You can find out what size heeltip you need by measuring the flat part of the 'D' shape against a ruler.  All sizes are shown in mm and inches."

There is no arguing with the price- each pair is just £1.50. Furthermore, they offer special deals if you buy in bulk, and the price gets considerably cheaper. So not only is this service great for the individual, but also businesses wishing to re-distribute this product.

The delivery was extremely fast (under 2 days!) and the packaging was good- as it's a relatively new product and business, it is obvious of the care and attention that is put into everything that the business does.

The product is a great gift or just a present to yourself, I'm sure your old standard pair of heels will thank you!

I think this product is appropriate for all ages- from teenagers right up to anyone who still rocks a pair of heels on a night out! Whether you're a teenager, a young woman or an older woman, these heel tips add a new sophistication to an ordinary pair of heels.

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How to replace your heel tips:

You'll need a pair of pliers. Use them to pull your heel tip out, and make sure you pull it out straight to avoid breaking the tip! If this is a struggle try twisting it as you pull it out, but still pull it out straight and not crooked.

The black ones taken out of the original pair

Push in the new tip and knock the shoe against a hard surface to make sure it's attached correctly, and pushed all the way in.

It really doesn't take long! Honestly it's surprisingly easy.

And voila!

These fierce red tips work amazingly with a fancy red outfit, or alternatively just add something new to any normal outfit.

You could even pair it with a red lip or bag.

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in shade 22- literally the best red lipstick ever

So there's my review!

What is fantastic is that other colours will soon be added to the current single classic red option. On the website homepage is the chance to vote for which colour you would like to see next, personally I am extremely excited about the teal option and that's the one I voted for.

Picture courtesy of the website homepage, (x)

The customer service I have experienced through email has been polite, helpful and relatively quick.

For more information:

Check out their website: http://www.colouredheeltips.co.uk/

'Like' their Facebook page for updates and offers: https://www.facebook.com/colouredheeltips#

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colouredheeltip

Will you be checking this product out? Which colour interests you most? Let me know in the comments below.

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* Although this product was sent to me, I was under no obligation whatsoever to write a post unless I wished to. All opinions are as always 100% my own and completely un-biased. 

Nail-care Megapost: Achieve and Maintain Healthy, Strong Nails

Nail Care Top Tips

Here I will share with you my key tips and products to help you grow your nails and maintain their health.

I love long nails, so I've learnt over the years the best way to get them to the right stage, and avoid breakages.

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Firstly, it is extremely important to file your nails regularly, and properly.

Filing your nails regularly not only keeps your nails in shape, but it encourages growth and keeps them strong too. Shape is extremely important, as if your nails are growing at odd shapes, they will be more prone to splitting and breaking, and we all know how annoying that is.

I use this glass nail file from Paname

Crystal or glass nail files are much better than the regular board files, as they are more gentle, whilst actually working quicker and being more effective. Now I've got one, there's no way I'm going back. 

Also glass files prevent as much tearing, which used to be a huge problem for me. You can get them from around £6, and they're usually around the £10 mark. I don't think this price is unreasonable, especially as these files last way longer than the regular ones.

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If you suffer from nail splitting, or weak nails, then I suggest some sort of nail strengthener. The best ones by far are the 'Nail Envy' ones from OPI. Sally Hansen also has a great one, for a slightly cheaper price. Are your nails weak? When you push directly down on them, do they hold or do they bend? I used to have extremely thin, bendy and peeling nails, and the weakness would mean they would break all the time. But filing them properly and from time to time if necessary using a nail strengthener has ensured I don't have any sort of problem anymore.

The good thing about this sort of treatment is that you can wear it as a basecoat underneath nail polish, meaning that you can treat your nails whilst wearing a colour on them.

This is the 'sensitive and peeling' Nail Envy, they're quite expensive, around the £15 mark, but they are amazing. I also had the matte version, which I actually preferred. This one, somewhat ironically, tends to peel off the nails after about a day, so I don't recommend using it as a basecoat under nail polish.

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My next tip is cuticle care. I use three different products, but you don't necessarily need to use them religiously, just once in a while.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

This cuticle cream is amazing. Basically it softens your cuticles and generally helps the condition of your nails, plus it has a lovely sweet lemon smell. I even have a bigger tub as backup when this runs out, not that you need to use much at all.

I also own a cuticle gel and nourishing cuticle pen. The gel is a lifesaver for me. A tiny squeeze of this is enough to easily remove the bits of cuticle on your nails with just a little rub. It's not painful at all, and takes seconds. I just personally hate pushing back cuticles with a cuticle-pusher. It's uncomfortable!

Excess cuticle on the nail is annoying because it obstructs some of the part of nail you're meant to put polish on. 

Ms. Manicure Cuticle Gel, Elf Noruishing Cuticle Pen

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Finally, I recommend always using a basecoat underneath polish. This prevents your polish from affecting the quality of your nails, and also means you won't face staining, especially bad when you wear red or deep purple polish. Nobody wants stained nails.

Three of my favourite basecoats- NYX Ridge Filler, OPI Natual Basecoat and ORLY rubberised bonder basecoat

 Did you find this post helpful? What are your top nail tips? Let me know in the comments below.