A very Crumpet Christmas!

Just a quickie to let you know I guest posted on the wonderful Crumpet yesterday, as part of her British blogging Christmas! So for details of my Christmas balls (snort) head over and have a look!

Hx

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Palate cleanser of the week - Beauty UK Grit Effects Fabric

Morning!

I hope you're not all as stressed as me right now! There's something about this time of year that sends my blood pressure soaring! Anyway, what better excuse for a soft, pretty polish to chill me out and calm my nerves. It was either that or a bottle of vodka... Beauty UK Fabric is from their Grit Effects textured range, and while the rest of the range are matte, this pretty soft pale pink has irridescent pink and blue shimmer running through it, making it just that little bit more special. I thought it was going to be terribly sheer, but I used just two coats for these swatches.

Fuzzy shimmer - yum!

This is a great polish, easy to wear, fairly neutral but just with a hint of something special. The only thing I found was that after a days wear it looked a little bit grubby. I guess the pale colour and the texture worked against it that way. But I rectified that by festive-ing it up with some stamping, which you can see over on my Instagram!

I hope you're not too stressed! I'm off on a sticky-tape hunt, wish me luck!

Hx

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Off-Topic Tuesday - Bargain Hunters Beware...

Hello!

This week's Off Topic Tuesday comes with a word of warning. We all love a bargain, and I spotted a Facebook page a while ago offering just that - Social Discount Network, claiming to offer branded goods at cut prices. I liked the page but didn't buy anything for a while - things caught my eye (toys, aftershave, jewellery, both branded and non-branded) but nothing enough to indulge, and while the prices were good the postage often made me think I could probably get it cheaper elsewhere. Until one day I spotted some MAC lipsticks...

I've been lusting after a MAC lippie for the longest time, never feeling like I could justify £15 on one lipstick, especially if it then turned out I didn't like it. Social Discount Network said they were stock liquidation from a US department store closing down, and had around 8 shades with various finishes available. The more you bought, the cheaper they were and I ordered two for just under £15 delivered, never once considering they could be fake. I headed over to a beauty page I'm a member of on Facebook to tell the girls there about the bargain too, and while two others also purchased others were sceptical.

A huge debate ensued - would they be genuine? The main consensus was no, they wouldn't. MAC wouldn't allow it, they only sell through approved dealers. But, there was talk or stores going bust and having to sell their stock cheaply, and Social Discount Network themselves assured us (and still maintain) that they were genuine. However when they arrived it was clear they were anything but.

The main things which made me suspicious were:

• The shades I bought (Lady Bug and Fusion Pink, both Satin formula) look considerably different to swatches I have seen online.
• The sticker on the bottom of Lady Bug is incorrect and identifies it as CB 96 Frost, when the box says Lady Bug Satin.
• The product itself is not centred in the tube, so that when you twist it up it scrapes against the sides.
• The silver bit inside the Fusion Pink lipstick comes right out and does not feel like it is good quality.
• They do not have have the usual vanilla scent that MAC lipsticks tend to have.

I contacted Paypal for a refund and was told not to return the products as they should not be in circulation, but in order to gain a refund I would have to prove that they were counterfeit. I emailed MAC with my suspicions and pictures, and they confirmed to me that they did not think the products could be genuine, and even if they were they had been tampered with, saying:

• · Fusion Pink, a limited edition shade from Summer 2010, was an Amplified texture and not a satin.
• · It’s also a deeper more coral pink than the picture.
• · The boxes both read ‘Satin Lipstick’ when one is apparently a frost.
• · The Batch numbers (The ‘A’ number beneath the lipstick name) do not match the boxes.

Thankfully, I was able to obtain a refund from Paypal and the lipsticks are where they belonged all along - the bin. The whole thing has left a rather bitter taste in my mouth and I wont be purchasing from Social Discount Network again, and if I want MAC, I'll go to MAC. 

So, if you're ever tempted by something that seems like a bargain do your research. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Hx

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Wrap it up...

Hi!

I have been wanting to use the Christmas jumper/fairisle pattern on my Nailscraze NC03 plate since the moment I got it in my grubby little paws, but seeing as that was July I had to wait! And with the release of MoYou's festive plates it seems everyone has gone Christmas jumper mad, so I took a different route in order to use the awesome pattern! (Don't worry, I have a jumper mani planned too ;) ) Instead of jumpers I took my inspiration from wrapping paper and used sparkly Zoya Blaze as the base and stamped with Barry M Silver foil, combining the fairisle image with some Bundle Monster stripes. I smudged it with my topcoat and could have kicked myself, but hey, they still attracted lots of compliments! Now I've got my nails "wrapped" I guess I should get on with the actual wrapping...

Anyone else still not feeling Christmassy yet? I'm not exactly bah humbug but I'm just not feeling festive...

Hx

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Palate Cleanser of the Week! Estee Lauder Nouveau Riche

Hi!

I've come up with this new little mini-series in a bid to improve my swatching and photography skills. I realise that my swatches, and indeed photos, are not always up to scratch and I want to change that. Now, to me a palate cleanser may not just be a plain old polish - but a special polish (be it creme, shimmer, foil, duochrome...) on it's own, no nail art, no stamping, no accent nails. And I couldn't think of a better polish to start with.

This is the only Estee Lauder polish I own, because they are rather pricey; this one was a gift. But it is a stunner. Bronze, with a foil finish, and almost, almost duochrome in the right light. This was three coats, an there is still a little VNL, but not so much that it bothers me. Application is smooth and easy and dry time is good. I used a base of Duri Rejuvacote and a top coat of Poshe.

Pretty? Not something I reach for a lot, but I like it none the less. So, this is my starting point. I hope my swatches get better and better from here! Any tips gratefully received!

Hx

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Skittle me blue...

Hi!

I was in the mood for blue and chevrons the other day, so blue and chevrons is what I had! My base was China Glaze First Mate, and the glitter on my ring finger was Glistening Snow. I used a plate from the newest Bundle Monster set for the chevrons with Barry M Silver Foil and freehanded the stripey liney things on my middle finger with Barry M Silver Nail Art Pen, which matched perfectly. A couple of rhinestones and done.

Glistening Snow was so sparkly, I just couldn't quite capture it. I was happy with how this turned out, I don't think it was anything special but it was well executed for once! I've seen people struggle with the stamp I used so I was pleased I got it even and had no real gaps in the image. It's the little things that make me happy.

Hx

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Mavala Angel Violet Diamond - Let the Christmas nails begin!

Hi!

Now I've completed the 33 day challenge, and caught up with samples and swatches I needed to do, I can finally just do the nails I want to do for a while. And that means some Christmassy nails will be coming your way! Not all of them, mind you, but I thought I'd better show you this one quick before they sell out! I was browsing Beauty Expert and feeling very scroogelike when I spotted these cute Mavala polishes, encased in a little box with angel wings, ready to hang on the Christmas tree and had to have one. I needed the Christmas spirit! I chose Violet Diamond, as I didn't have any other glitter similar in my collection (and because it goes with my Christmas tree, which is silver, white, gold and black!) I actually thought it was a full cover glitter, but it isn't so I layered it over Barry M Lilac Foil, and combined with Orly Au Champagne and some snowy stamping for my first Christmas nails of the season.

Mavala Angels are available from Beauty Expert for just £3.83 with free delivery here, but they only have the silver one left now so be quick!

Have your nails gotten festive yet?

Hx

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