Weekend haul: Sinful Colors, got2b and Topshop make-up

As I had £16 worth of Boots points on my card I thought I'd treat myself to a few bits and bobs over the weekend. I'm currently ever-so-slightly obsessed with nail polish, so I picked up four pretty shades from the new Sinful Colors collection. An American company, Sinful Colors seem to specialise in fun, 'trendy' colours, with the collection featuring lots of neons, pastels and glitters. They retail for £1.99 each, which is pretty fab. Here are the four I picked up:

L-R: Island Coral, Cinderlla, Winterberry, Soul Mate

I really like the pale blue shimmer 'Cinderella' and the dark brown-aubergine Winterberry in particular. The other two look quite similar but Soul Mate is a more pinky coral as opposed to orange coral. 

I also picked up a few hair products. The new range of Schwarzkopf got2b styling products were on sale for £3 each, so I chose the beach matt mermaid look texturizing salt spray and the Oil-licious tame & shine styling oil. 

I love a good salt spray, especially for when my hair is feeling a little flat. I also love a good hair oil for everyday use, and this one is such a great bargain. I've used it a few times over the last couple of days on damp hair, and it really helps to smooth split ends and nourish my frazzled highlighted locks. It has quite a thick texture, which I prefer as it feels more satisfying somehow when applying to hair in need of nourishment. Plus it smells lovely, quite floral but with a nutty kick too. A little goes a long way on my fine hair, and it doesn't make my hair at all greasy or lank. A winner!

Now for the really fun part... My mini Topshop make-up haul! I've had a few things from Topshop's range in the past, including a couple of lipsticks and nail polishes. I found so many gorgeous items this time that I couldn't resist picking up a selection:

From left to right: Eye Duo in 'Harlow Sunset' (£8), Smokey Eye Palette in 'Golden Aura' (£12), Kohl liner in Sable (£4), Nails in 'Ruthless' and 'Nice n' Neutral' (£5 each), Lip Bullet in 'Joyride' (£8). 

I am completely head over heels in love with this Eye Palette. I'm a sucker for neutral colours and these feel so soft and buttery. I've been wanting to try a plum shade for a while, and the duo shadow looked too good to resist. I usually use my trusty Mac eyeliner for definition but thought I'd try this Topshop one, and I'm so glad I did as it goes on extremely smoothly and doesn't pull or drag at all, making it easy to draw thin or thick lines depending on preference. 

Now, I wasn't actually looking to buy a red lipstick. I'm not sure if the lighting in Topshop is  funny or if I was just having a bit of a moment, but I *thought* this was a pink colour! It looked like a dark pink and I couldn't find a tester so I just went with it and bought it... Only to open it at home and realise my mistake. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with red lipstick, as some make my pale complexion look even paler, and some make my teeth look quite yellow. The trick is finding a red with blue undertones, and Mac's Russian Red is all my absolute favourite: matte finish, doesn't budge, and compliments my skintone (and my teeth!). So it was with some trepidation that I applied a coat of this Lip Bullet. To my relief I instantly loved it! It's a tomato red but not at all orange, so my teeth looked fine, and it has a lovely matte texture, meaning it doesn't bleed or smudge outside of the lip line. It makes a change from my usual pinks, nudes and berries, and I'll definitely be wearing it throughout the summer. 

Finally, I couldn't help but add a few more items to my nail polish collection! I love a dark, wine red and I also love nude colours, so these really stood out for me. The brushes are quite small, which I prefer as it means I don't end up with polish all around my nails, which is what often  seems to happen with bigger brushes. 

I'll be writing reviews throughout the week, and can't wait to share some swatches of the Eye Palette and Lip Bullet in particular. 

Browse Sinful Colors here

Browse Schwarzkopf got2b here

Browse Topshop make-up here

New winter skincare: Boots No7 Beautiful Skin

I suffer from occasional flare-ups of contact dermatitis on my face and have to be careful about which brands I use and which I avoid. Apparently it can be triggered by stress and I do tend to find that if I'm going through a difficult time my skin mirrors my mood. Perhaps a blog post about meditation is needed?! For now I'll focus on finding gentle products for sensitive skin :)


Upon hearing about the new Boots No7 Beautiful Skin skincare range, which takes the shape of a three-step skincare system similarly to more expensive brands, I just had to try it out to see if it lives up to its promise of making problem skin 'behave like normal skin'. High expectations! There are three ranges of products based on skin type: Normal/Oily, Normal/Dry and Dry/Very Dry. I chose the Melting Gel Cleanser for Normal/Dry skin (£9), as a I like using water to cleanse and it seemed a gentle option; the Normal/Dry Day Cream with SPF 15 and 5* UVA (£12.50); and the Dry/Very Dry Night Cream (£13.50) for an added evening moisture boost. 

No7 Cleansing Melt, Day Cream, Night Cream

Cleansing Melt Normal/Dry skin 

The cleansing melt goes through a three-step transformation when squeezed out of the tube: it starts as a gel before turning into an oil when applied to the skin, before finally transforming into a milk, making it super easy to rinse with no residue left behind. I really like the way the oil feels as if it's giving a thorough clean without leaving skin dry or tight, and it smells refreshing yet not overpowering. I've noticed less random spot attacks since using it every evening to remove make-up. 


The creams have a nice consistency, almost gel-like rather than thick or cloggy. The Day Cream sinks into skin easily although I feel it could be a touch more moisturising (perhaps the Dry/Very Dry would be better suited to my skin type)although it does make a great base for make-up. 

Beautiful Skin Day Cream and Night Cream 

The Night Cream is richer, and also sinks in easily without leaving a greasy residue (my pet hate). I have noticed that it stings a little around the nose and sometimes on areas of my face that are drier than usual. However, since using the three products and getting into a routine I've had far less outbreaks of dermatitis and my skin has stayed steady in terms of appearance and texture. I'm going to keep using them and see how my skin looks after a month or two. Hopefully it will continue to improve :)  


Full range of No7 Beautiful Skin products

Lip balm addiction and thoughts of summer sun

New blog new blog new blog! I'm not ashamed to admit I've given in to my beauty addiction and have finally set up a blog to indulge my habits. I'm a regular visitor of Boots and Superdrug on pay day, and spend a lot on beauty bits and bobs, so thought it time to write down my finds and favourites. Um, please excuse the photographs, my camera isn't the best and I'm still navigating my way around it... I'm sure they will improve over time *crosses fingers*

This week I've fully given in to my lip balm obsession. With news of the new Soap & Gloy 'A Great Kisser' lip balms I HAD to hit Boots and grab all three flavours. And trust me, I showed serious dedication by visiting four different stores before finally getting my hands on the goods! 

'A Great Kisser' Soap & Glory lip balms

As you can see from the pic above, there are three flavours/colours. From left: Juicy Peach, Sweet Coconut, and Chocolate Cherry. They leave more of a glossy finish rather than a balm, which I really like. They're incredibly long lasting and really do soothe chapped lips. My fave in terms of colour has to be Chocolate Cherry, which delivers a reddy sheer tint; my fave in terms of scent has to be Juicy Peach, which smells delicious. Sweet Coconut is growing on me, having perhaps neglected it in favour of the others so far. It leaves a nice subtle shimmer and works well on top of other lip colours as a clear gloss. 

Being the Soap & Glory obsessive that I am, I was expecting good things and these little beauties don't disappoint. Best thing is, they cost a very reasonable (in my opinion) £5 each.  

My next purchase was from a brand I haven't really visited since my early teens, but which I was surprised to discover has some great products for summer: 17 at Boots. I picked up the new Instant Glow Pink Bronze Bronzing Rocks based purely on how pretty they look in the packaging: 

17 at Boots Bronzing Rocks 

The rocks are a mixture of pink, gold and bronze and when used with a bronzing brush (which 17 also sell for under £3) they deliver a sheer wash of pinky-pearl colour. I've been using them mainly as a highlighter on my cheekbones and nose, brushing over the pink rocks in particular, although if you load your brush with more colour from the bronze rocks you'll see it will make a great bronzer come summer. The rocks come with a little sponge applicator which is handy if you're on the move, although I've found that using a big fluffy brush works much better at ensuring even application. All for £4.99 :) 

Do feel free to comment with any new product finds or long-standing faves. There's nothing wrong with indulging in thoughts on beautiful things every so often ;) 

Official Soap & Glory site with info & product details

Full Soap & Glory product range at Boots

17 product range