I'm back... sort of!

Hello my lovelies.

I find it so hard to believe I last blogged over 3 months ago... I reached my 1000 follower milestone and then life got in the way. So what have I been upto?

Well I'll start with the biggest news... 

I'm going to be a Mum!!!

Our little bundle of joy is due April 21st 2013. I'm now 16 weeks pregnant and starting to feel human again, for the past 3 months I've felt so ill, whoever called it morning sickness was lying, I had all day sickness! I barely had the energy to get out of bed let alone blog so I can only apologise for my absence.

Now onto more big news...

We bought a house!

We'd been house hunting for what felt like forever and we finally decided to buy a brand new house. I'll be moving 120 miles on November 22nd from Kent to Market Harborough, I cannot wait! We found our perfect house and I can't wait for us to start our new life.

So there.... you're all up to speed!

I really really want to get back into blogging, this blog has taken me years to establish and I finally reached the 1000 follower milestone. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what I want to do with it, keep it strictly beauty and fashion or incorporate baby stuff too? Would you prefer a separate baby blog? Do I need to change the name? So many ideas!!!

I just need a little time to settle into my house and decide the future for this blog.

Until then...

xx

NOTD | Barry M Magnetic Polishes 'Magnetic Violet' & 'Magnetic Blue'...

Hello lovelies, I hope you're all ok.

I'll be the first to hold my hands up & say I'm rubbing at nail art. I never dedicate enough time to an intricate design & it's sometimes enough of a struggle to just paint them one colour!

I've been trying out some really cool new Barry M nail polishes which just go to show no matter how bad at nail art you are you can see have she eye catching nails to show off.

 Barry M Magnetic Polishes in 'Magnetic Violet*' & 'Magnetic Blue*'

i kid you not when I say it took me FOREVER to work out how these work. Then it suddenly dawned on me!

You paint one coat of polish, then a second & instantly hold the magnetic top over the nail resting the lip on the cuticle. Voila!

Magnetic Purple:

First coat - looks a bit strange right?!

 Second coat & magnetic effect! I really like the colour of the polish and the overall effect it gives. It couldn't be simpler to create but i really think it looks like you've spent time doing your nails. I had lots of comments from the girls at work asking how I had created the look. 

Magnetic Blue:

 First coat. Again this polish looks strange with only one coat & I really wasn't sure I liked the colour.

Second coat & magnet. How pretty does this look! This design is a lot more hit & miss, all 10 nails had an individual look which I really liked. I've never really been a fan of blue nail polish & it's not something I would really choose but I really like this nail polish! 

Overall I'm really impressed with these nail polishes. I've always been a big fan of Barry M nail polishes & will certainly be looking at the other colours in the range. 

Barry M Magnetic polishes are available here priced at £4.99 each

Are you a nail art fan?

Sarah xx

*PR Sample

Review | Neal & Wolf Haircare...

Hello my lovelies, I hope you're all ok & looking forward to the long weekend!

As many of you know I'm not really a hair person, I always straighten my hair & I've never really been too fussed about hair products etc. Over the past couple of weeks I've been using some new hair products that I've really been enjoying & I thought I'd share them with you.

Neal & Wolf Hair Protection | Neal & Wolf Sculpting Lotion | Neal & Wolf Daily Conditioner

Neal & Wolf Heat Protection*

I'll be the first to admin I'm really lazy when it comes to using heat protection. I know I need to use it and how much damage heat does to the hair but it always feels like an unnecessary step to me. 

Since I first start using this product I have used it every day! I find some heat protection sprays can leave my hair feeling sticky, this product doesn't cause any stickyness or build up at all. It also has a beautiful scent that tends to linger on the hair, something I personally really like. 

I'm going to make an extra effort to keep using this product to see if it makes a long term difference to my hair, I'll keep you posted!

Neal & Wolf Sculpting Lotion*

I was really intrigued when I first saw this product, I didn't have a scooby how to use it! After some investigation I found out you apply to towel dried hair then styled as normal. 

I've used this product a few times and I have mixed feeling on it. It provides UV protection which is great if you spend alot of time outside, I didn't know the sun damages your hair just liked it damages your skin! This product really helps to control hair and leaves a lovely appearance to my hair, almost like it's been styled in a salon. I do find that in my long hair this product can leave it feeling a little sticky and I do need to wash it out the day after using it. My mum who has a short bob uses this product to help create definition and it looks amazing & with her hair being shorter I think it works alot better.

I will continue to use this product but only for evenings out or special occasions.

Neal & Wolf Daily Conditioner*

This is my favourite product I've tried from this range. It smells AMAZING and leaves my hair feeling and looking in really good condition.

This has to be one of my favorite conditioners I have tried, used along side my Phyto clarifying shampoo it's a match made in heaven! The texture of the conditioner is something I have never experienced in a conditioner before, it has an almost cream/moisturiser feel to it, it feels very luxurious!

If I could recommend one product out of the three I have tried this would win hands down!

Overall I'm really impressed with Neal & Wolf as a brand. I love the luxury looking packaging and really enjoyed the products I have tried. I'm now on the hunt for a Neal & Wolf shampoo to go with the conditioner!

Sarah xx

*PR Sample

Products I've Used Up | Empties #1

Hello everyone, I hope you're all ok.

My favourite type of posts to read recently is definitely empty posts, I personally feel if someone has used the whole product up they can give a better review of a product rather than someone who has used it once or twice.

I've been collecting my empty products over the past couple of weeks & I finally have enough to show you what I've collected!

Soap & Glory Clean On Me | Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight | Aussie 3 Minute Miracle | Primark Deap Facial Cleansing Wipes | 17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Belle' | V05 Strong Hold Hairspray | Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle - I have used this product for years & have lost count on how many times I've purchased it! Nothing beats this deep conditioner for the price in my opinion, it leaves my hair silky smooth and really healthy looking! I've got a back up ready to use now that this is empty.

Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Lotion - I bought this for my holiday a few months ago as it was on offer and have finally finished it! I really liked this moisturiser, it left my skin soft and it smells lovely. I'd certainly pick this up again if I saw it on offer.

Frizz Ease 3 Day Straight - I couldn't even tell you how long I've owned this, probably over a year! I used it for ages then it went in the cupboard never to be seen again, I recently dug it out to finish it. I like the results of this, it certainly helped to tame my hair and would consider repurchasing it if it was on offer but probably wouldn't pay the full price!

V05 Strong Hold Hairspray - This is another product I bought AGES ago and it's lasted me ages because the can is huge! This hairspray was ok but it left quite a lot of residue in my hair, I probably wouldn't repurchase it now I've found a better hairspray that is even cheaper!

 Soap & Glory Clean On Me - This came as part of a Soap & Glory gift set I got at Christmas and I've only just finished it. I love Soap & Glory products and this is certainly in my top 3. I love using this shower gel as a shaving lotion and it smells beautiful! Soap & Glory is always on 3 for 2 in Boots and I would certainly like to pick up another bottle.

Primark Deep Cleansing Wipes - I don't really have too much to say about these wipes as I don't use them to remove my make up, I use them to clean my hands after applying make up! These wipes are 2 packs for £1 and they do a great job, I've always got about 6 packets in my cupboard!

17 Mirror Shine Lipstick 'Belle' - I recently found this lipstick in a clutch bag I hadn't used for ages & remembered why I loved it so much. I love the formulation of these lipsticks and used to own a few. I definately want to replace this lipstick along with the shade 'beehive.'

So there we have it! My first empties post! It seemed to take forever to collect these empty products and there's hardly anything there.

i'd love to read your empties post if you've posted one so please leave a link below!

Sarah xx

Review & NOTD | imPRESS Press On Manicure - Pick Me...

Hello everyone, it's finally Friday, yay!!!

A little while ago I remember reading a review of imPRESS nails on Louise's blog & after she raved about them I was desperate to try them. Smudge proof, fool proof nails that can be applied & removed in a flash, they sounded right up my street!

The nails come in a clear plastic bottle shaped case, how cute! Each pack contains 24 nails in 12 different sizes. Each nail has double sided tape on the underside with a tab to help to you peel the tape off easily, all you need to do is peel the tape off and press onto your nail. The great thing about these nails is there's no glue so there's no mess & no waiting time, just press and go!

imPRESS Press On Manicure - Pick Me*

I was recently sent a couple of sets of imPRESS nails to try out & I thought I'd let you know what I think of the first set 'Pick Me.'

I found the nails really easy to apply, I just sorted out my nail sizes and applied them straight away. From start to finish the process took around 10 minutes, so much quicker than waiting for my nail polish to dry! The pack states the nails can last unto a week & in my case they lasted 4 days before one nail pinged off! If you wanted the nails to last longer I'm sure you could simply glue them back on but I'm not a fan of using glue on my nails. 

Overall I was really impressed with these nails, there's a wide variety of designs to choose from and they're so easy to apply. Each pack does cost £7.99 which may be a little too pricey for every day use but these would be good for a special occasion or a night on the tiles.

imPRESS Press On Manicure is available here priced at £7.99 per pack.

Sarah xx

*PR Sample

Review | Superdrug Volumising Hairspray - L'Oréal Elnett Dupe!

Hello lovelies, i hope you're all ok & having a good week!

I picked this hairspray up over 4 weeks ago now & I've used it every day since so I thought it was about time I shared it with you!

I\ve always been a big fan of L'Oréal Elnett, I've used it for years & always thought it was the best hairspray on the market. I was browsing Superdrug a while ago & spotted this on offer at 2 for £2.99, at first I thought it was Elnett on a mad offer! 

Superdrug Volumising Hairspray.

As you can see the packaging is really similar to L'Oréal Elnett so you can't blame me for being a little confused for a nano second! What I really like about this product is the nozzle {how weird is that word!} it's really similar to the Elnett nozzle & I think it works really well. It's a diffuser spray so it mists the product onto the hair without dispensing too much product in one are leaving the hair crunchy & stiff.

I know I keep going on about how similar this is to Elnett but the scent is also very similar, I can't even begin to describe how it smells but if you've used Elnett you'll know what I mean. I find this hairspray really adds volume to my hair it last a good 6 hours before it begins to drop. 

Overall I'm really impressed with this product, it does the same job as L'Oréal Elnett at a third of the price! 

I can't find this hairspray on the website sadly but I'm sure it'll be available in your local Superdrug. 

Priced at £1.99 per 200ml but it's regularly on offer so look out for deals in store.

What is your favourite hairspray?

Sarah xx

Review | Glossybox August 2012...

Good evening lovelies.

This month the Glossybox theme is 'International Superstars' which I think is rather fitting as the Olympics have just ended. 

'This month, Glossybox goes global with hero products from around the world for you to try. Our beauty team selected from brands that are well known in the UK, as well as products that have cult status in their native country, which you may never have heard of before. We even have a brand representing cool Brittania herself!'

Here is what I received...

Glossybox August 2012

Included in my August Glossybox:

Vera Valenti - L'ombre a Paupiere Margarita: When I first saw this in the box I have to say I really wasn't impressed, 4 green eyeshadows?! When I swatched the eyeshadows I was even less impressed, they all lack pigmentation and they feel really chalky. I even dislike the packaging, it looks cheap & tacky to me! As you can probably tell I REALLY don't like this product!

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Lipcote: This has been a product I've always wanted to try but never got round to doing so, I remember my Mum using this when I was little! Lipcote is intended to seal lipstick, I'll certainly be giving this a go when I next wear a vibrant lipstick and let you know what i think!

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All For Eve - Eve's Balm: I've heard of this balm before & it was a pleasant surprise in my Glossybox. This balm can be used on any dry chapped skin & I'm looking forward to tying it out.

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DHC - DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: This was the product I was most excited about in this months Glossybox. I've really been into skincare recently & I can't wait to try this later today to remove my makeup!

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Allessandro - Pro White: I'm really intrigued by this product, it's supposed to counteract any yellow tones in the nails leaving white & gleaming nails. I can't wait to try this out!

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Glossybox Lipstick - Glossy Pink: Glossybox have included some own brand products in recent boxes & to be honest I've never really been impressed with them, that was before they included this lipstick in this months box! I really like the bright pink shade and the formula is really glossy. the packaging isn't amazing but it doesn't look too cheap & I like the Glossybox logo on the lid. 

Overall I like this box, it certainly isn't my favourite but I feel I'll get some use out of most products. The only product I really hated was the palette which I cannot see myself using at all!

What did you think of the August Glossybox?

Sarah xx

1000 Follower Giveaway! | WIN Stila In The Light Palette... **NOW CLOSED**

Hello my lovelies!

I'm fast approaching the 1000 follower milestone & decided it was time for a giveaway! As some of you may know I try to run regular giveaways, they don't always contain expensive products but it's just my way of saying a big THANKYOU to my lovely followers. I was completely stumped at what to offer as my 1000 follower giveaway prize but I've read so many reviews about this product I knew it wouldn't disappoint.

Up for grabs is a brand new Stila 'In The Light' Palette.

To enter this giveaway:

♥ You must be a follower of this blog via Google Connect, If you're not simply click the follow button on the right hand side.

♥ For one entry leave a comment on this post, enter me will suffice & please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

♥ For one extra entry tweet about this giveaway & make sure you mention me so I can see your tweet. You can follow me on twitter using the button on the right hand side or my twitter ID = @xbeautygeekx please remember to mention in your comment that you tweeted.

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The boring bit {the rules!}:

♥ You must be a follower of this blog via Google Connect.

♥ You must be 16+ or have your parents/guardians permission as I will need your address to send the prize.

♥ This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
♥ All qualifying entries will be entered into random.org

This giveaway closes on Friday 31st August 2012.

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Once again I would just like to say a huge thankyou to each & every one of my beautiful followers. I never imagined I would reach 1000 followers & I still can't believe I'm nearly there!

Good luck everyone =]

Sarah xx

NOTD | Barry M - Cappucino...

Good evening lovelies, It's nearly the weekend!!

I received a lot of lovely comments on my post yesterday, mainly aimed towards the new Barry M nail paint in 'Cappucino' so I've decided to show you it properly in a NOTD!

 

As you can see it's a lovely muddy purple shade. I love colours like these, especially for Autumn which seems to have reared it's head rather early this year!

When I first saw this in the bottle I thought it looked really similar to Barry M 'Mushroom' but as you can see below they really look nothing alike. I've also compared it to another similar shade in the Barry M range 'Dusky Mauve'  but again they are very different!

 {L-R} Barry M Mushroom | Barry M Cappucino | Barry M Dusky Mauve

Like all Barry M paints this was really easy to apply, it was opaque in 2 coats & lasted around 4 days befre chipping.

Barry M nail paint is available from Boots & Superdrug priced at £2.99

Sarah xx

Haul | A Mini Haul...

Good evening lovelies, I hope you're all well!

I wasn't going to post a haul as I really haven't bought much recently but I thought you might want to see the couple of things I have picked up.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains in 001 Honey & 020 Lovesick - Boots | £5.99 each

Barry M Cappuccino Nail Paint - Boots | £2.99

I'd heard a lot about the Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains and was eager to give them a go, I'll be popping a full review of them up soon! I saw this new Barry M shade & couldn't resist picking it up, I have a serious addiction to Barry M nail paints!

Swatches of Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains {L} 020 Lovesick & {R} 001 Honey

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Feel Unique | £9.90

I finally caved!

Xen Tan Dark Lotion - Feel Unique | £21.95

I've heard lots of good things about this fake tan & I can't wait to try it out tonight

3 Face Cloths - Primark | £1.50

I've been addicted to Caroline's blog Beautymouth & she highly recommends face cloths/flannels instead of muslin cloths so I picked up 2 packs in Primark.

Grey Cross Detail Crop Top - Primark | £6.00

I was recently in Primark, somewhere I can normally spend some serious moola and this is the only thing I came out with! I love the beading detail on the crosses & I can't wait to wear it with my black maxi skirt.

Bright Lights Summer Nights Top - H&M | £9.99

I had a pair of shorts that I needed to return but didn't have the receipt so swapped them for this. I fell in love with this tank top when I saw it & I think it'll look nice with so many outfits!

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So there we have it, I know it's considerably smaller than my normal hauls but we're buying a house so I need to save the pennies!

What have been your favourite purchases this month?

Sarah xx