Nails Inc gel effect nail polish - Mayfair Lane

Nails Inc gel effect nail polish, Mayfair Lane - £14

Having found how good gel effect nail varnishes could be in my recent post on Models Own Hyper Gel (here) I thought it would be useful to compare that one with the Nails Inc gel effect product, hopefully giving you the benefit of my findings.

When I saw the shade Mayfair Lane I realised it would be a useful addition to my ever growing collection of varnishes so decided to order and give it a go. As predicted the colour was lovely, a delicate shade of pastel almost nude pink, one that would go with just about anything especially with spring just around the corner. This one was quite a lot more expensive than the Models Own version, £14 rather than £5, so I was expecting big things. I have to be honest, initially I was a little disappointed. The polish seemed almost watery on application and I had to give it a good three coats, maybe even four next time. However, 48hrs later I have been converted. The gel effect has proved to be very durable, more so than the Models Own product. The picture above of my nail was taken three days after application and shows a minimal amount of chipping, probably due to cleaning three bathrooms yesterday! This could be down to the 'placticiser technology' (their words not mine!) which obviously increases the durability of this product. It comes in nine different shades altogether which you can view here, certainly plenty to chose from.

Although I really love this colour and the overall quality of the gel effect, I prefer the colour range from Models Own more and at £5 they seem to be a more economical purchase, however, this is slightly outweighed by the durability of the Nails Inc polish so you're choice would probably come down to colour preference and budget in which case it would have to be Models Own for me.

What gel effect nail products have you tried?

Deborah

xxx

'NEW' fragrances from Yankee Candles - Lovely Kiku and Champaca Blossom!

 

Above Lovely Kiku and Champaca Blossom tealights, £6.75

Votive, approx £8.99

Yes, I know it's another candle post, what can I say, I have a problem!!! I definitely had to let you know about these pretty new spring fragrances from Yankee Candles and believe me, they smell as pretty as they look.

Firstly the lavender coloured Lovely Kiku, this has a lovely warm vanilla floral aroma with hints of cherry blossom, quite perfumed but not too overwhelming. I love to put it in the pretty mauve flower votive above, they work really well together. I bought these two items at the same time but have since been unable to find any details on the tealight holder so will have to investigate further. I tend to burn this one in my lounge at the end of the day, it gives it a warm floral essence that reminds me of brighter weather to come.

If you prefer something a little more delicate then Champaca Blossom would be a better choice. It has a lovely fresh smelling aroma that reminds me a little of water melons with a touch of spring blossom thrown in to make it even more appealing. I've been burning this one in my kitchen/family room where I spend best part of my time when blogging, it really gives out a lovely fresh springlike essence, perfect inspiration while working.

It's really difficult to say which one I prefer, it definitely depends on what sort of mood I'm in, hence I had to buy both! Yankee Candles have also released a further three fragrances in this range, Pink Hibiscus, Under the Palms and Midnight Oasis so it's worth checking them out here, there seems to be a scent to suite just about everyone!

A hint of fruity fragrances to come!

These fruity fragrances above are just the beginning of this years new releases from Yankee Candles. They've also released a special Mother's Day series and for Easter White Chocolate Bunnies and Bunny Cake along with some Easter inspired tealight holders which you can check out here, a combination of candles, chocolate and bunnies, what's not to love!!! I suggest you keep an eye out for these if you're as mad about candles as I am, I've a feeling they will sell out fast.

What is your favourite Yankee Candle fragrance?

Deborah

xxx

Azuni - A necklace for the Summer!

 Azuni aqua jade necklace, John Lewis, £75

This weekend Mr Moonstone and I took a trip to John Lewis in the hope of inspiration. We are having our lounge & dinning room re-decorated and need to decide on a colour scheme, new suite etc. After pawing through many fabric swatches, sitting on several suites and looking at many other general household items we finally and wearily made our way towards the Chanel counter to check out their new Spring collection (that's for me NOT Mr Moonstone).

At this point my mind was firmly fixed on the lunch I'd been promised at one of our favourite pubs, The Jolly Sailor, Hambledon. All that changed as I spotted this gorgeous necklace on the Azuni counter, thoughts of lunch forgotten I steamed my way through the crowds to take a closer look. I am really indecisive, especially at £75, so Mr Moonstone took control and bought this beautiful piece for me. I love it's extra long length that can be doubled and worn long or tripled and worn shorter, a very versatile piece. The necklace is 24ct gold plated and contains aqua jade stones that should go with so many of my outfits. This will definitely be coming on holiday with me this year and will look beautiful set against a healthy tan, black maxi dress or silky camisole. The Azuni jewellery comes in this pretty pink pouch and looks lovely on my dressing table. I can not believe that this is my first Azuni purchase as I've been following them on Twitter for ages, my next question is "do they do earrings to match?"

After two hours in John Lewis we finally emerged with our new purchases, the pub lunch was calling, Arthur needed walking and I had a rugby match to watch! I'm now eagerly awaiting a swatch of the material below so we can start planning the design for our lounge and dining room, Saturday proved to be a very successful day!!!

We've finally made a start!

Do you own any beautiful pieces of Azuni jewellery?

Deborah

xxx

Clinique, No7 & Revlon - Battle of the chubbies!

From left to right

Clinique chubby stick in Mighty Mimosa & Chunky Cherry, both £17

Revlon Colorburst lip balm in Coquette, £7.99 (3 for 2 in Boots ATM)

No7 High Shine lip crayon in Delicate Pink, £9

I thought it was about time for a comparison post on my blog so decided to check out some of the chubby lip crayons on the market at the moment. These products appear to be quite popular in the blogging world currently so they seem to be a good place to start.

Revlon Colorburst laquer balm - I've seen several posts that highly recommend the matte version of this but I thought it better for this comparison to use the balm instead. At £7.99 this was the cheapest of my purchases and I have to admit I was quite impressed with it. The depth of glossy colour and coverage was really good, staying in place a little longer than I expected for a balm. Not only did it leave my lips feeling really soft and moisturised without any stickiness, it also had a minty taste that made them feel a little pumped and tingly. Overall it is a pretty good product!

No7 High Shine lip crayon - No7 products can usually be relied upon to perform well and at a reasonable price. At £9 this was a lot less than the Clinique stick which, like the Revlon version, makes it a little more affordable. The colour was a little less intense than the Revlon and although it claims to be 'high shine' I wasn't too impressed. It dried quite quickly and didn't feel as moisturising as either of the other two products, it wasn't really a hit with me. 

Clinique Chubby stick moisturizing lip balm - I've had these two in my make up collection for a couple of years although I honestly haven't used them recently. They are the most expensive item here at £17 a go, so not a cheap option. They do leave your lips feeling beautifully moisturised, however, this doesn't last too long and the colour is not very intense, I had to keep applying to achieve any sort of depth. I've noticed that Clinique have recently introduced an intense version of this product, again priced at £17, so this may prove a little better. I will have to get back to you on that one!

My conclusion - All three products were easy to apply, beautifully packaged and handy to keep in your handbags. They all provided good moisturisation although I was less impressed with the No7's performance than the other two. When it came to colour intensity I thought the Revlon lip crayon was by far the best, the others performing quite poorly in comparrison. Overall I would have no problem recommending the Revlon Colorburst laquer balm as the best of the bunch. Not only did it provide a deep colour intensity with a lovely shine and moisture, at just £7.99 it is a clear winner for me. This product has now found a permanent and very privileged place in my Vuitton!

I would love to hear your thoughts on these and other chubby lip products you may have tried!

Deborah

xxx

Kringle Candle Company - The essences of Spring!

 

 Kringle Candle Company, Gardenia, Fresh Lilac, Cherry Blossom and Provence - £2.50 each

I thought it was about time I shared these lovely tealights from the Kringle Candle Company with all you candle addicts out there, I know I'm not the only one!!!

I discovered these little treasures early last year and have been continually replacing them along with my usual Yankee Candles products. I particularly love these larger tealights as they not only burn longer, approx 12 hours, but they also look lovely in a bigger votive. Although these four are colourless which I personally prefer, they also have a coloured range available in other fragrances. I am a big fan of their waxes and jars too, it's certainly worth checking out their full range on the link above.

Of these four fragrances the three floral ones have a lovely fresh aroma, just whats needed to bring a touch of spring into your home when the weather outside is so appalling at the moment. The Fresh LiIac and Cherry Blossom have a pretty floral essence that is subtle and fresh. I particularly love the Gardenia as it has a romantic aroma about it. My most favourite though would have to be Provence as it never fails to evoke memories of holidays in France. It is very reminiscent of many of the craft and artisan shops that I love to browse when 'en vacances'. It is scented with a hint of lavender, beeswax and orange, I almost feel like I'm there now!!!

If you haven't tried these candles already I strongly suggest you give them a go. I know I will definitely be restocking my supplies when next in town, I may even be tempted to try out some new fragrances while I'm there, well it would be rude not to wouldn't it?

I'm always on the lookout for new candle products and would love to know if there's any you might recommend I give a try.

Deborah
xxx

Models Own Hyper-Gel - Turquoise Gloss

Models Own Hyper Gel in Turquoise Gloss - £5 or 5 for £20 on the Models Own website

Firstly, hope you all had a lovely Valentine's day regardless of relationship status, no reason why we can not treat ourselves. Mr Moonstone and I had a really romantic evening, we........but you don't want to know about that. Anyway, back to the serious business of blogging......!!!

I just thought I'd share this newly discovered little gem with you. It's Models Own Hyper Gel, goes on like a gel but without the need for UV treatment and at £5 a pop a real bargin. My daughter Lisa recently purchased a set of 5 of these little beauties and was kind enough to let me borrow this one. I absolutely love the colour and the gel effect means it lasts really well. For a full review I suggest you check out Lisa's post at Topaz & May, the other colours she bought are well worth a look, I may be borrowing Naked Glow next.

Just wanted to say a really big THANK YOU to all my new followers on bloglovin, it's really appreciated. I also love reading you're comments and promise to always reply so please keep them coming. Enjoy the rest of you're weekend and look out for a new post early next week.

Are there any Gel effect varnishes you've discovered and would recommend?

Deborah
xxx

Soap & Glory Hand Food - A little miracle worker!

  

Soap & Glory Hand Food, £2.50 to £5

One of the things I love most about blogging is reading other peoples posts and discovering new products that I wouldn't normally have tried. Soap & Glory is a brilliant example of this. My daughter Lisa has always been a huge fan and has done several posts on her blog Topaz and May so I thought it was about time I gave it a try.

Having recently blogged about Soap & Glory's Lip Moisture Balm (see here) I already knew I would like their products so when I was looking out for a new hand cream I thought I'd give this one a go. I am always trying different moisturisers  as my hands get very dry but have never yet found one that really achieved the results I was after. This product was about to change that. The fact that it is non-greasy is a real bonus as far as I'm concerned, I hate it when you spend ages trying to rub in a cream that leaves an oily residue and I usually end up wiping some of it off. Soap & Glory's hand food absorbs beautifully into you're skin leaving hands soft and hydrated. It is scented with Soap & Glory's original 'Pink' fragrance which is just subtle enough not to be too overbearing. You can pretty much apply this whenever you need and my hands are already showing signs of improvement, a little miracle worker after all.

I picked mine up at Boots for £2.50 for the smaller size, ideal for handbags. You can also get a bigger one for £5, Boots also have a 3 for 2 promo on at the moment so what are you waiting for!!!

What is you're favourite Soap & Glory product?

Deborah
xxx

Chanel Collection Notes de Printemps Spring 2014 - Rouge Allure 138 Fougueuse

Chanel Collection Notes de Printemps, Spring 2014

Rouge Allure 138 Fougueuse, £25

I always look forward to the arrival of the latest makeup collection from Chanel with an excitement verging on obsession, hoping there's going to be something to tempt me. With the Chanel Collection Notes de Printemps I literally screamed with excitement when I spotted this gorgeous new lipstick shade. I am a long time user of Chanel lipsticks and particularly love the Rouge Allure products as they have always proved to provide both stunning pigmentation and amazing longevity, sorry I'm beginning to gush!!!

This shade is named Fougueuse and is probably one of my favourites to date. When I bought my first red Chanel lipstick over ten years ago I wasn't brave enough to use it on a regular basis and quite often removed it again before I left the house, not sure that's what Coco Chanel meant when she said to remove the last accessory you put on before going out!!! However, my confidence has grown over the last few years and I am now ready to embrace Chanel's iconic deep shades. This one is beautiful as it has a delicate hint of pink which stops the red being too much, perfect for my pale complexion. Alternatively another of their new colours Melodieuse would suit a warmer shade. It is easy to apply and lasts for ages, so although a little expensive at £25, it will last for a long time and pretty much covers all you're lipstick requirements. I have been wearing it continually since it arrived a couple of weeks ago and it's already become an essential part of my make-up collection.

Official promotion picture from Chanel site

If you are a lover of all things Chanel like myself then it's certainly worth checking out the rest of the collection. I usually get mine from The Garden Pharmacy who have always proved to be good when ordering online, however Chanel is generally available at most department stores. I've recently read several reviews on other lovely red lipsticks from brands such as Dior and YSL and would love to hear you're views, it's always good to try something new.

What red lipstick are you wearing this season?

Deborah

xxx

A little touch of Spring!

Above is my latest haul from Accessorize

Daisy chain necklace, £6

Flower hairgrips, £5

Silk style scarf, £12

If, like me, you are getting really fed up of the terrible winter weather we have continually been subjected to over the last couple of months then I'm sure you are ready for a springtime pick-me up! Can I suggest a trip to you're nearest Accessorize as a means of injecting some spring into you're step, sorry awful pun!!! I picked up these little treasures last week from the new collection at Accessorize and can not wait to wear them.

The Daisy necklace is so pretty and should see me through the summer as well as spring. It sits nicely on you're collar bone and would compliment a simple white T-shirt or pretty camisole. I also couldn't resist these cute flower hair grips. Not only do they echo this seasons love of all things pastel, they are also great to dress you're hair, mine has been in a permanent ponytail lately thanks to the odd gale and is in desperate need of some spring.

Finally is this really pretty coloured scarf, It's so fresh with a covering of flowers and butterflies that just scream SPRINGTIME! This will definitely go well with some of my pretty pastel coloured jumpers now and T-shirts when the weather has warmed up. I thought all these items were fairly reasonably priced giving you little excuse not to treat yourselves, you know you want to!!!

I hope this little post has provided a little ray of much needed sunshine and it's always good to remember the words from that old Love Unlimited track "It may be Winter outside, but in my heart it's Spring"

How are you planning to inject some spring into you're winter wardrobe?

Deborah
xxx