Nails of the week: blue and green glitter flakes

Flakies!!! My obsession is truly at full steam after I got back from Brazil with a suitcase full of flakie polishes!

This week, I tried this green and blue shifting glitter flakes polish, from a brand I didn’t know before – Sancion Angel. This is from their Jóias do Nilo collection and is called Cipreste. It is well saturated of flakes and they have great shifting – looks really pretty! I applied two coats over two coats of Colorama Black, a pure shiny, well, you guessed, black!

Blue and green glitter flakes nails - somanylovelythings

Application was easy and durability was great. I am glad I liked the brand, as I have other four flakies to try! Cannot wait!

Rating:

A red a day – a liptastic week

Monday to Friday, from the top

My love of red lipstick is nothing new. If you know me, you know that you are very likely to find me wearing red lipstick – day or night. I just feel more like myself wearing it.

I am not sure when I rekindled my affair with lipstick. Think I talked about it here before. The 90’s and 00’s for me were really all about lipgloss. In a way, it was a blessing as my eyes were usually smeared with blue. My make up abilities came a looong way.

Lipgloss was the thing to have on your lips at the time. Everyone had bare, shiny lips, it looked like we had eaten greasy spare ribs and didn’t wipe our mouths. Please don’t take these comments as a “I am never wearing lipgloss again”. Far from it, I may dabble with it again, but since I got a proper flush of colour on my lips, it is really hard to let go.

Obviously, I amassed a small collection of it and have a couple favourites (one of them, actually doesn’t feature!), but love them all (almost) equally.

The past week, I noticed I wore red lipstick for work everyday of the week, so “a red a day” just kinda happened. Apologies as the pictures are not brilliant, I cropped my “outfit of the day” images…

On Monday, I wore MAC Red, on Tuesday So Chaud, on Wednesday, Lady Bug, on Thursday Ruby Woo and on Friday, Lady Danger, all From MAC. My beloved Russian Red will have to wait for another week!

Have to say, I prefer the matte ones, purely for the staying power, but I won’t dismiss any red, after all, I am certain that life in red is more fun – at least mine is.

Product review: Simple Radiance brightening moisturiser

simple radiance brightening moisturiser

A few Simple poducts have been popping up in the blog lately – I received a mish-mash of products from different ranges and they are really hitting the spot.

All I can say is that this is a lovely day moisturiser. That is it. It is very light and absorbs really well. White in colour and of a medium consistency, it spreads really well and doesn’t have smell, which is great, and it also has skin protecting SPF 10 – very handy! The skin feels nourished afterwards and seems to stay that way for most of the day. It doesn’t interfere with my make up; I haven’t noticed any difference in durability since I started using it.

What do they say:

“Our Radiance Brightening Moisturiser SPF 10 is a perfect blend of ingredients and light reflecting particles to help to moisturise, protect and visibly brighten your skin. Perfect for even sensitive skin.

Our special blend of Simple moisturising goodness containing Mango Extract, Glycerin, Bisabolol, Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E and Vitamin C, helps moisturise, protect and visibly brighten your skin.”

As you can see, lots of skin loving goodies there. I have to say, I am converted to Simple products. Everyone that uses, swears by them, and now I can see why! And all for the amazing price of £6.99!

To find out more about the Radiance range and other Simple products, click here.

This post contains PR samples, however, this review is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

What I’ve been wearing – 21 April 2013

In the winter months I get super de-motivated to post the outfits I have been wearing… as spring starts to come by, I feel the urge to get back on it… so here they come, 2013 first edition of a selection of last week’s outfits:

Outfit #1

Beware, you will see A LOT of black and white. If I was obsessed before it was bang on trend and everywhere I look, now it will be impossible to stop me! MONOCHROME OVERDOSE!

outfit - somanylovelythings

Black and white striped shirt and black skirt both from H&M, black court shoes with white details from Viviana Calçados (Brazil), necklace from H&M. Russian Red lipstick.

Outfit #2

Now, the other way round…

Black sheer shirt from Primark, striped leggings from H&M, black and white shoes as above, neon yellow and gold necklace and earrings, black and white bracelet set, exclamation mark ring and heart ring all from New Look. Revlon lip butter in tutti-frutti.

Outfit #3

Leopard print dress from Primark, black and gold court shoes from charity shop, necklace, fox ring and flower ring from Accessorize.

Outfit #4

Doll eyes top from Lulu Guinness for Uniqlo (LOOOOVE this top, so cute!), black skater skirt from H&M, black and white court shoes from Viviana Calçados, set of above the knuckle rings and necklace from H&M, bow ring from New Look and Believe ring from Disney Couture. Russian Red lipstick.

And that is it for this week! What do you think? Are you obsessed with monochromes?

Nails of the week – metallic green, blue, mauve marble

I told you I was going to have marbling done on my nails again…

This time, I went for a lighter base, Close, a metallic greenish aqua with some gold hints, then my lovely manicurist in Brazil, Irma, added Dancer, the metallic dark blue and Gaia, the metallic mauve, all from Brazilian brand Naty.

She used the same technique as before (see my previous post), with the wooden stick, and the patterns are really lovely!

I then got my toe nails painted with Gaia – I love it!

Durability was great, and in a few weeks I will try it myself…

Rating:

Eyelash extensions from Boudoir Lashes

Full, thick, fluttery and uber sexy lashes – I dare you to find someone who doesn’t want to have them. If your eyes are the window to your soul, the minimum you want are damn pretty curtains for it!

Click to enlarge

I met the lovely Asma Docrat last year, when her company, Boudoir Lashes completed a year of age. The reviews were amazing – her professionalism and technique in tailoring the las extension to suit you had high praises. Asma says you need to enhance what you already have, which really goes with my outlook on beauty and that is exactly what she does to your lashes: each customer leaves with a set of lashes tailored by her, customised to them.

Asma held the grand opening of her boudoir last week, and now, in the pretty Boudoir Beauty Parlour in Shoreditch, London, they offer not only the famous lash extensions, but also manicures (and nail art), pedicures, waxing and facials.

Different sizes lashes are used to match your own

Right, so let’s get down to the extensions.

I have to start with this: Asma is really sweet. I arrived after work, and was made to feel very relaxed and at home. I lay down on a treatment bed, there was music, we were talking… all very nice. The salon is really lovely and girly.

Lashes being prepared! Exciting!

It took about 90 minutes. She put tapes under my eyes and started. I mentioned I loved fluttery lashes, with longer ends. She immediately told me that they weren’t for me because of the natural shape of my own lashes. I felt reassured and trusted her statement 100% and the treatment kept going!

The whole process was very comfortable, and I almost fell asleep. I really want to make this a very strong point, as I was a bit nervous about this treatment. I had tried another lash extension treatment in another place a month before this, and it was horrible. Truly terrible. I was sitting down with eyes semi-open, felt stinging, poking and prodding. The result was awful. The person went for the fluttery look and my eyes looked droopy. I don’t even have droopy eyes!!! I asked her to remove them, and that was awful too. My eyes were watery and stinging. I gave up. Receiving Asma’s treatment was really like entering a new world – she is delicate, exudes confidence and professionalism and I felt extremely safe in her hands.

When she finished, I was amazed – I had a super full version of my own lashes, longer, darker, a much better effect than obtained with mascara. The before and after pictures really prove this point; they sit very naturally on my face. Even without make up, I felt I wasn’t too bare-faced.

One eye done, one to go!

I left happy, with a leaflet with instructions on how to care for my extensions and so impressed I couldn’t stop looking at myself ont he mirror. Then I went on holidays the following day. Getting on a long haul flight, I had to sleep. And I can ONLY sleep with eye masks, which are a no-no with the extensions. I wore swimming goggles and the eye mask over it. Yeah, the things we do for beauty.

It is now four weeks. I shouldn’t admit this, but I was on holidays and the most important thing for me was to relax, so I put the strict care a little aside and I put them through hell – pool, sea, warm weather, eye make up and eye liner, mascara sometimes from week two, eye cream (I am not that young, after all) and they lasted really well, much longer than I thought, given I didn’t follow the care instructions religiously. Entering the third week was really when I started to see my own lashes again. If I had followed the instructions, I can pretty much guarantee that they would be almost perfect and a simple fill in (recommended two to four weeks after the treatment, to keep it going) would be enough to restore it to its full glory. Now, I can only see a few remaining strands. My natural lashes seem undamaged (and boring!).

Do I love it? YES. Do I recommend it? Hell, YES.

After: AMAZING LENGHT!!!!!

Now, if there is one issue I found, it is the fact I should refrain from using my eye mask to sleep. I need it, really do, I sleep really badly without it, which on holidays, is not a massive issue, as I can nap, have lie-ins, but in London, I will need to wear it again every night, so I will probably not do it all the time. Also, doing my eye make-up look challenges is a no-no when these extensions are on as I usually go for bolder designs, and it requires almost industrial eye make-up removal, which will certainly damage them!!! I am however, an exception to the rule and I am sure 99% of women would be just fine wearing them most of the time!

The brand new Boudoir Beauty Parlour is located at 1a Turnville Street, E2 7HX, in London, phone number 020 7739 5462. You can also follow them on twitter @boudoirlashes and @boudoirparlour. I really recommend that you have a treatment, be it lashes or another one – I heard wonders about the Brazilian wax!

Nails of the week: purple, blue and pink marbling

I will confess straight away. I did not do this myself. This is one of the few manis posted here I haven’t. When I am in Brazil, I always go to the same manicurist. She, however, doesn’t tend to do anything artsy, as her clientele base usually goes for basic colours.

After insisting a bit, she told me she could do the marbling but not with water (“That takes too much time, especially to clean!” Irma said), but mentioned she could do something similar with a stick. Of course, I said yes.

Now, my second confession: I forgot to take down the name or photograph the nail polish colours used. Do-oh.

Basically, she applied purple first and made sure some areas were very saturated with polish. The she generously blobbed pink and blue around the nail and using a wooden stick, mixed the colours in random motions – big circles, tiny ones, waves…. to create the patterns. The secret is not to “stir” too much otherwise the colours will blend. Also, careful not to leave gaps without polish as you “scratch” the nails with the stick!

And this is the result. I really like it. It is different, very detailed and each nail is completely unique! As you can see, my nails are well on their way to recovery since the moving disaster. Yay!

It lasted well – a whole week, no chips, with an ordinary topcoat – I didn’t use Seche Vite there.

I loved this mani so much that have another one on… which will be published next week – and with the names of the nail polishes used!

Rating

Product review: Simple Regeneration age resisting eye cream

Eye creams have been part of my routine for a few years now. When I use certain acne products on my face, I feel the skin around my eye feels and looks extra dry, which makes it favorable to expression lines to appear, so I do what I can to keep the area around my peepers extra hydrated.

My eyes are very sensitive, meaning the last eye creams I have been using irritated them a bit, making me wake up with an urgent need to wash my eyes and put some eyedrops in, so it was really nice to get this Simple age resisting eye cream, part of their Regeneration range.

The cream is very light and it has a watery milk colour, spreads and absorbs really well and quickly. A small amount goes a long way. Before I started using it, I had noticed more dryness than usual around my eyes, probably a combination of weather change and medication for my skin, but this certainly did the trick!

What they say:

“Our Regeneration Age Resisting Eye Cream is a special blend of ingredients that helps to repair and protect the delicate skin around your eyes. Perfect for even sensitive skin.”

“Our special blend of Simple moisturising goodness containing Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Mushroom Extract, Oat-Beta Glucan, Allantoin, Ginkgo Biloba, Shea Butter and Green Tea Extract, helps to moisturise, soften and tone the skin and help fight the signs of premature ageing.”

It contains 6 skin loving nutrients and 2 vital vitamins, as they point out in the pack, which is also simple and functional. It retails at £6.99 for 15ml, an amazing price for an eye cream, if you ask me, and you can find out more about it and the range here.

This post contains PR samples, however, this review is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Simple Regeneration age resisting night cream

It is no secret I am past my 20’s and that the fact I suffered from acne for most of my life means my main focus has only been attacking the blemishes and less on age defence and deep hydration.

Recently,I decided it was probably past the time to combine both, as breakouts are still happening but I cannot stand the aggression of anti-acne products any longer.

So I really welcomed this Simple night cream, part of their Regneration age resisting range, which “contains a special blend of active ingredients to repair and protect your skin whilst defending it from the early signs of ageing”. I knew Simple, but only their Kind to Skin range, so was pleasantly surprised at the breadth of their different ranges, aiming at different skin concerns.

The moisturiser is very light, which surprised me as it is a night cream, so no greasy feeling. As other Simple products, it is fragrance free, which I really like. It has a medium consistency, absorbs really well and I applied in the face and neck at night, of course, and in the morning, my skin woke up hydrated, soft, non greasy, a bit plumper and calmer, including my breakout areas.

Here’s what they say:

“Our special blend of Simple moisturising goodness containing Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Mushroom Extract, Oat-Beta Glucan, Chamomile, Ginkgo Biloba, Borage Seed Oil, Shea Butter and Green Tea Extract, helps to moisturise, soften and tone the skin and help fight the signs of premature ageing.

No perfume, no colour, no unnecessary ingredients so it won’t upset your skin, dermatologically tested and approved”

I’ve been using it daily and can say I am very happy with the product. The packaging is simple, in an very easy to use pump, clip top, with the trademark green branding of Simple products. At £5.99, this night cream is truly amazing value!!!

You can find the Regeneration as well as other great Simple ranges here.

This post contains PR samples, however, this review is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Nails of the week: warm colour gradient

Yes, I am still obsessed by gradients. I just love them. So, I gave myself another one: a lovely yellow, orange and red, to go with my tropical mood, as I am on holidays in Brazil (hence the lack of posts).

I used the H&M bright yellow summer sunrise, Impala’s orange aleixo and one of my fave reds ever, Colorama’s 40 graus. I used the sponging technique and applied the gorgeous Nails Inc electric lane topcoat. Ended up with a good seven layers and a lovely heart nail tattoo on my ring finger, from SkinArt UK to finish off the design!

It lasted very well – eight days including pool days!

This mani lifted my spirits, it is cheerful and looks forward to the summer!