NOTD: Essie - Cute As A Button

Essie's Cute As A Button appears to be one of the more popular Essie polishes - it's up there with Mint Candy Apple and Mink Muffs when it comes to the most 'famous' Essie polishes and it's easy to see why.
As Essie polishes go, Cute As A Button is as good as it gets in my humble opinion. The formula is spot on - the perfect consistency and opaque in two coats. If you were really in a rush, you could get away with one but two is perfect.
The colour is adorable and right up my street - my love affair with anything coral is still in full swing. Essie describe it as a 'a juicy persimmon delight' but when I think persimmon I think orange. Cute As A Button is NOT orange.

In the bottle, it appears to be a pinky-peachy-coral but on the nail, a hot coral that leans pink in certain lights. I suppose that is my roundabout way of saying Cute As A Button appears a few shades brighter on the nail than in the bottle!

With flash.

I am wearing Cute As A Button with Nubar Diamont top coat and it's like a match made in heaven. Super shiny, glossy and long lasting nails. In the salon recently I compared this DIY combination to one of the girls who had a Shellac manicure (Tropix, I believe) and mine seemed much shinier? Win! I think it's the combination of the super glossy Cute As A Button and the long lasting glossiness of Nubar Diamont that make this such a fabulous pairing.

I'm still totally undecided about Shellac and similar gel manicures because I've heard far too many people complaining of weak, brittle and damaged nails post Shellac (even with professional removal) so for now, this is shiny and long lasting enough for me!

Carex Sweet Treats

Shopping for handwash (as you do) in Tesco recently I spotted two new offerings from Carex and was sold immediately by the names...

Introducing Carex handwash in Strawberry Laces and Chocolate Orange.

These were a bargain 75p (currently on offer) in Tesco and smell mouth-wateringly good! I had expected they would smell nothing like their names suggested but I was wrong. These smell good enough to eat.

This can of course be a bad thing - I am on a diet and using these gives me a serious craving for a Terry's chocolate orange and some strawberry laces...yum!

My nearly three year old is also quite taken with these hand soaps - he instantly recognised the scents and really enjoys using these to wash his hands. As young boys do, he often 'forgets' to wash his hands after using the bathroom, in such a hurry to get back to what he is doing, but these colourful and delicious scents make handwashing fun.

Another great thing about these handwashes - they are antibacterial, killing up to 99.9% of bacteria. I often find the prettier smelling handwashes are often not, so I was pleased that these are anti-bacterial.

Decolour Stripper by Scott Cornwall - a review (and a rant)

I mentioned previously in a post that I had ordered and was waiting to use a hair stripping product - the newly launched Decolour Stripper. Rather than just shrinking artificial colours and removing them from the hair, this strips artificial and natural pigments.
Well it arrived, and here is the next installment in my hair DIY disaster diary...

As deduced from the ingredient listing, this is a hydrogen peroxide based stripper (6%) . My first grumble is the misleading marketing - I watched Scott Cornwall's video clip detailing how to use this product where he clearly states 'this is not a bleach based product'. Hydrogen Peroxide IS the basis of an oxidising bleach - basic science will tell you that. So do not be fooled into thinking this is as 'ultra kind' and non-damaging to your hair as it is marketed. It is still essentially a weak bleach. Dress it up and call it 'de pigmenting powder' and highlight the fact there is no ammonia, but this is bleach. Luckily, I know a fair amount about salon processes but I feel this is misleading to most consumers.

The next clue is the mixing process - a powder is mixed with a developer cream until it forms a thick green paste. 

As is recommended with any home hair process - read the instructions then read them again. And again for good luck. I also watched the aforementioned video from Scott Cornwall which can be found here. Once I had completed my skin allergy test and waited the 48 hours I pulled on the blue gloves and off I set.

For optimum results, Decolour Stripper is to be applied on clarified, wet hair. I had been 'clarifying' my hair for a week prior to using this stripper. I used a designated clarifying shampoo, no conditioning products and no styling products for that entire week. Immediately prior to using the stripper, I washed once more with clarifying shampoo, towel dried and began application.

As instructed, I started by applying the mixture to my mid lengths and ends - this is common sense because these are the areas with the darkest colour. I was extra careful to avoid the roots because, as discussed in my last post - I had a bad dose of 'hot roots' so these were considerably lighter.

I also enlisted the help of my husband to help with the back sections of hair because it is impossible to see those myself, so he ensured the darker areas were covered first. The total time for development recommended for my hair was 60 minutes - so I left this mixture on the mid lengths and ends for 2/3 of the time before gradually working upwards towards my roots for the remaining time.

During the application I rubbed the stripper between my thumb and forefinger to really work it into my hair. I also combed it through with a plastic comb at regular intervals to ensure even distribution.

Here is how it looked at various stages of the process:

As you can see, the colour at the ends is lifting well, but the mid lengths don't seem to be budging...

Another grumble about this product...my hair is just below shoulder length and incredibly fine due to hairloss. I don't have a great deal of hair and it's not very long. I applied just enough product through the mid lengths and ends of my hair and by the time I had done that this is how much of the mixture I had left:

Ideally, I would need two boxes of this product and then also, if a second application was needed (which is recommended) that would be 4 boxes in total. At £12.99 - it hardly works out to be an economical process. I think it's unfair to provide such little product - if you hair is long, you're probably going to need about 3 boxes!

After the total development time, you are advised to wet the comb and then comb through the hair to emulsify the product. You are also supposed to keep back a little amount of the developer lotion to mix in as well, but there is NO way you could do that with the measly amount provided.

I combed through for 2 minutes with warm water and then headed to the shower to rinse the stripper off.

I rinsed under warm water thoroughly for 5 minutes and then applied the final stage - the conclude balm (just a posh conditioner) this smelt pleasant and reminded me of a Kerastase product I have used. I was surprised at how soft and silky my hair felt but deeply saddened when I glanced in the mirror and noticed how patchy and mottled my hair was. I dried it immediately to get a better view of the colour and here is how it looked...

Suffice to say...I was disappointed. I had hoped this would blend in my already hot roots with the now lightened mid lengths and ends, however this product has just worsened how patchy my hair already was.

The band directly beneath my roots is still a dark brown. There are so many different patches of colour I look like a tortoiseshell cat and I'm devastated.

Scott Cornwall does describe this as not being a destination product, rather something to help you get where you want to be. To remind you of the colour I am aiming for, here is the beautiful haired Duchess of Cambridge and the locks I am lusting after. I want a fairly cool toned, dark blonde/light brown.

Through my tears I applied a Nice N Easy Semi Permanent (24 washes) Dark Ash Blonde. Should be perfect.

The ash will hopefully counteract the red and the dark blonde will ensure I stay fairly light. I was wrong.

In fact, this colour done absolutely NOTHING.

I applied to the roots first, as they were the lightest, and left it on there for 15 minutes before then applying to the ends first (second lightest) and mid sections (the browner bits) hoping to blend it all in together.

And here is the result...

No change WHATSOEVER. This colour just hasn't taken to my hair and this is where my biggest issue with the Decolour Stripper is. Aside from stubborn and persistant hot roots, I never have an issue with colour not taking on my hair, especially this colour.

I had expected at least a slight change...but no change AT ALL?! I am angry and beyond annoyed that I have wasted money on this stripper and I'm now left with hideous patchy orange hair that I cannot resolve. I am booking into a salon ASAP and letting them sort it out but that means further expense - probably more stripping to correct where the Decolour Stripper failed in the mid sections and then a recolour.

I used to be a big fan of Scott Cornwall's products and honestly believed they offered excellent value for money, great results and saved trips to the salon (that I usually despise!) but this is the last time I will purchase anything from his range. I have learnt the hard way that DIY products just cannot replace salon standard products and you really need the expertise of the colourist and stylist to apply the products and see how they are developing.

This product may be useful for dip dyes or fashion streaks of colour, but I do NOT under any circumstances advise you to use this as an all over stripper. Learn from my mistakes and go to a professional - at least with them you have come back if it goes horribly wrong. Sadly I have no come back and am out of pocket with dodgy hair. 

What's on my bedside table?

I've seen two great tag posts recently; 'What's on your bedside table' from the lovely yummy mummy bloggers: Honey's Mummy & Keeping Up With The Joneses. You can read what's on their bedside tables here & here and now I am going to show you my messy bedside table. 

As Honey's Mummy & Keeping Up With Joneses highlighted - bedside tables and babies don't really mix. 

Thankfully we are over the stage where my bedside table was filled with breast pads, nipple cream, breast pump and snuffle babe- 15 months of co-sleeping and breastfeeding turned not only my bedside table, but my entire bedroom, into a nursery rather than my own space.

We have even gone past the 'clearing absolutely everything in sight in order to keep little fingers from causing chaos' phase (like the time my darling 10 month old called 999 from my bedside phone and the other time he went crazy with an YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick)

But we are still in the stage where our bedroom is still very much his bedroom too. He comes in to our bed, without fail, every morning for cwtches and stories and I wouldn't have it any other way - even if it does mean stray toys all over my floor, hidden in my bed and toddler paraphernalia on my bedside table.

So, here we have it:

Just a basic IKEA bedside table from the Malm range in black-brown with the glass top. My bedroom, in all honesty is annoying me beyond belief at the moment. It hasn't been decorated in such a long time and I am fed up of the dark, moody colour scheme. I fancy changing everything and going for something light, airy and with Cath Kidston linen. The total opposite but much needed, I think. However, a new bed, bedroom furniture and a bedroom makeover is an expense I can do without at the moment. 

On my bedside table there is:

Crystal Lamp - Doesn't really fit with the style of my bedroom, but my original ones broke and I still haven't got round to replacing them, so this fills it's place in the meantime.

Elemis Nourishing Hand & Body Lotion - love, love, LOVE this moisturiser. Dual purpose, heavy duty and yet lightweight on the skin and sinks in beautifully. I cannot stand moisturising before bed and then getting under the sheets still sticky because the moisturiser hasn't absorbed *shudder* and this is one of the rare few that sinks in fast and leaves no residue. Smells so pretty too. 

PAI Chamomile & Rosehip Sensitive Skin Cream - my facial moisturiser and skin saviour of choice. This was reviewed in more detail here. Gorgeous stuff.

Balance Me Under Eye Cream - this was a magazine freebie (Glamour, this month) but I will definitely be purchasing a full size. This is the first Balance Me product I have used but I will be trying more of their range very soon - I love that they are natural, paraben & sulphate free.

Crystal Nail File - nothing worse than getting into bed and having a jagged nail, but stangely enough that is usually my toddler rather than me! These crystal files are gentle enough to use on the most delicate digits.

Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate - Not lways used for it's intended purpose - I use this as a nail oil currently. I have run out of my beloved and holy grail Solar Oil so using this in meantime. It works incredibly well on dry skin and cuticles. A gorgeous blend of hazelnut, rosehip, argan, lavender, neroli and chamomile oils in a handy little roller ball. I do use this on my face also, if I am suffering with dryness.

Liz Earle Superbalm - this 'emergency skin salve' is what I am currently using as my lip balm, even though I'm not totally enamoured with the smell/taste. Trying to use it up but as it is as 30g jar I think it will be here a while! 

Hair bands & clip - my hair is in that awkward growing out, in-betweeny length phase so most of the time I just tie it or clip it up especially in bed. Can't stand it tickling my face, back and neck in bed!

Glasses (in case) - Chanel, tortoisehell frames. Boring but necessary when reading.

BT Home Telephone - boring and not totally necessary, in all honesty. The ringers are permanently turned off, in case we ever experience a rare lie in and are disturbed.

Various Children's books - Here we have a collection of R's favourite Fireman Sam & Thomas the Tank books as well as a Welsh book he is currently challenging me with! He loves reading so much - he could barely wait for me to finish taking these photographs...!

iPad - we all use this, especially for lazy mornings in bed. Great for using educational toddler apps or the not so educational but obligatory Twitter/Facebook/Blogger.

iPhone - my phone stays here all night, usually on charge. Also doubles as my clock.

Engagement & Wedding rings -  I put them here last thing at night, if I haven't taken them off in the bathroom first.

I think i've shown my true colours here, much more slummy mummy than yummy mummy!

And just because...here is my little angel enjoying his morning story.

I'm going to tag all of my readers t do this tag because a) I'm nosey and b) I need bedroom inspiration!

My Hair AFTER Colour B4 - An Update.

It has been over a month now since I used Colour B4 on my hair and to be honest, I feel like I am right back where I started all those weeks ago. Okay, not quite, but I'm in no way closer to what I want to achieve with my troublesome hair.
At this point, the sane and sensible amongst you will be screaming at me to get myself to a hair salon, find myself the best qualified colour technician and leave myself in their capable hands, but as described briefly in this post it's not quite that simple.
I have an intrinsic fear of the hair salon after far too many costly mishaps in their hands. I am still yet to find a salon/stylist/colourist I trust completely and who doesn't make the same mistakes I have made myself at home.

So here is the story so far: my hair immediately post Colour B4 was something like this...

I left it for over a week and during this time used deep, intensive conditioners and protein treatments to keep my hair in the best condition possible. 
(Possibly one of the longest weeks of my life and I barely left the house in this time due to the orange hues of my barnet )Being a home hair DIY addict, I need to ensure I treat my hair as kindly as possible in between the colouring/colour removal. 
Joico K-Pak is an amazing leave in protein treatment that I spray in my hair after shampoo and conditioner and before styling.

After this time had passed, I opted to use the kindest and most gentle hair colourant I could find - Nice and Easy Non Permanent (previously Loving Care) in shade 75 Light Ash Brown. The ASH part is important - I want to minimalise any warmth/red/orange tones in my hair and an ash toner is perfect for this. These colours are great for the hair as they contain no ammonia and no peroxide - they simply just deposit colour. Perfect if your hair is already damaged and porous. The colour on the box is actually a touch darker than I want, but this range doesn't offer a dark ash blonde, sadly.

These colourants are also incredibly easy to apply - it is just one single bottle of pigment, as opposed to mixing bottles and shades etc. It really is as simple as rubbing all over your hair and leaving to develop.
I started at the roots first, because my roots are virgin, previously uncoloured and therefore much more resistant to any dyes. 
I  left it for just half of the recommended time - the instructions state 30 minutes, but knowing how porous my hair is, I left it just 15 minutes. Starting at the roots and leaving for 10 minutes and then applying to the mid lengths and ends for the final 5 minutes.

Nice and easy recommend (and provide) a rather attractive plastic cap to cover the hair during the development time...I can only assume this is to keep in the heat, which helps the colour develop.
SO attractive...

After rinsing away this colour and drying my hair, here is what I was left with...

Sadly, the colour was darker than I had wanted and still showing very warm tones in certain lights. No matter what I do, I just can't get rid of these warm tones that are left over in my hair from previous red colourants.

Not happy with this, and after googling for suitable home colours I stumbled across another Nice and Easy colour, this time from their semi permanent (or non permanent) line - number 90 Dark Ash Blonde. PERFECT! The model on the box had pretty much the same colour I want to achieve, although I have learnt not to judge by the colours on the box as it is no guarantee of the end result.
I was, at this point, ready to try anything.
Here is the end result of Nice and Easy 90 Dark Blonde...

Erm, no great change, really! In certain lights to the naked eye you can tell that more ash has gone into the hair, but that's about it and to add insult to injury I have been plagued by my old nemesis...HOT ROOTS!
I don't know why this happens to me and it seems fully qualified and downright bloody expensive hair colourists don't either. I have suffered hot roots both at home and in the salon on numerous occasions. 
To those who are blissfully unaware, and whose hair is the same colour from root tip, let me explain:
Hot roots are basically when the colour closest to the scalp, the roots of your hair, are noticeably lighter, brighter and warmer than the mid lengths and ends.  Like this:

I hadn't realised how BAD my hot roots were until I looked at photographs from a family day out...the SHAME!

This can and does happen for several reasons; sometimes it is the heat from your scalp causing the colour to lift considerably more than the rest of the hair. Often it's because the roots are virgin hair and require different levels of colour/developer than the porous mid lengths and ends. Obviously at home, you can't alter these levels so it becomes tricky.
So, I am left with a beautiful stripe of ginger down the middle of my hair. Not a happy bunny at all. 

At this point, just about ready to admit defeat, I have just ordered this product from Scott Cornwall's new range...

Rather than just removing artificial colours from the hair as Colour B4 and Scott's new product, Decolour Remover, this removes natural AND artificial pigments. I am thinking that now I have removed the very dark brown/almost black colour and am more of a mid brown colour, this stripper may help to get me to an even lighter base so that I can achieve the colour I have been lusting after, which is something along these lines...

Last time I had my hair stripped in a salon, it cost over £100 and consisted of bleach baths and effasor which damaged my hair beyond belief. Scott's Decolour Stripper contains no ammonia and isn't a bleach based stripper so I am hoping it won't be as damaging to my hair. Usually costing £12.99, this product is currently on offer in Boots, as well as the rest of the newly launched Scott Cornwall range, for £8.66. If it works, it will be a TOTAL bargain.

At this point also, I have come to the conclusion that I will only attempt to use this product once I have found myself a good hair colourist to do the next step for me. No more home dyes - I am putting myself in the hands of a professional to ensure a nice, even, multi tonal colour with NO hot roots. If I can find the person who can do this for me, I will give them my eternal love and gratitude.

If you are in the South Wales/Cardiff area and know of any AMAZING colour technicians that you would recommend and who won't judge me for my DIY escapades - please, please PLEASE let me know!

NOTD: Leighton Denny Glamour Puss

I have so many bottles of nail polish I have bought, only to store them, promptly forget about them and never actually use them. Leighton Denny's Glamour Puss is one of those.
I was a bit put off this one, in all honesty. I am not a lover of shimmery, frosty or pearlised nail polishes. In my opinion they are very dated and quite frankly, remind me of old ladies (you know, those pale pinky frosty polishes...? Shudder.)

I prefer a good solid creme formula, and in my hastiness that is what I thought Glamour Puss would be. Lured in by the name, I bought this because I thought this it was a hot pink creme...in fact, it is almost a jelly formula with blue/lilac shimmer running right through it. Lots of it. Nice if that's your thing, but it left me cold.
These cool tones do nothing for my skintone.

I am currently trying to work my way through all of my unused polishes with the aim of streamlining my ridiculously large (and mostly unused) collection, so I put Glamour Puss to the test.

As I have found with every Leighton Denny polish, the formula is outstanding. I think Leighton Denny polishes are really under rated - the formula and brush are far better than leading competitors but for some reason, I hear very little about the range. 

Given that the formula of this particular polish was more of a sheer-ish jelly formula, it was opaque in three coats. The shimmer running through the polish is more evident in the bottle, but still very much detectable, more so in strong sunlight and under halogen lights. 
Overall, it translated on the nail as a high gloss finish, rather than an obvious shimmer.

Although this colour does nothing for me and the shimmer is a no-go, this is another great polish from Leighton Denny, consistent with every other of his polishes I have tried (believe me, there are a fair few in my collection)

How do you feel about shimmery, frosty or pearlised polishes?

Pinterest...

You may have noticed this little button I have added on my blog recently...

I signed up to Pinterest ages ago but that was as far as it ever went, I still haven't actually used it!

I have logged back in today and aim to work out what on earth I have to do and hope to follow some of you lovely lot as well for (p)inspiration. Please let me know if you are on Pinterest and follow me too.

Now, where do I begin?!

NOTD: Essie - Knockout Pout

This polish has been languishing in my make up storage for so long I decided to try it out and it turns out I really like it. 

The thing is, I have a real love-hate relationship with Essie. I love love love the range of colours but I HATE the thin brushes. I have fairly small nail beds and I like to keep my nails short but it still takes me ages to paint my nails using the Essie brush and it makes for a less than smooth and precise application.

Essie describe Knockout Pout as a 'hot, supercharged pink' but to me it is a bright baby Pink. The photograph on the Essie website is very different to what's in the actual bottle.
I have shown in the photograph below how Knockout Pout appears in natural light and under the flash of a camera...these photographs are pretty accurate.

 L: Flash    R: Natural Light

Under certain lights, especially in bright sun (although I have forgotten what this is like, thanks Welsh weather) it can appear almost neon baby pink.

The formula of this polish is true to most I have tried from Essie - fairly thin, first coat streaks like crazy and a good 3 coats are needed for opacity and a smooth finish.

I do feel the brush is totally to blame, if it were wider and more flexible application would be SO much easier.

Longevity is good...with a fast drying top coat (this was Nubar Diamon't) this lasted 3 days at which point I was a bit fed up of the colour and needed a change.
Overall, the brush is a huge problem for me with Essie polishes. I wish they would sort it out.
Doesn't stop me purchashing Essie polishes though, I've built up quite the collection despite the fact that they irk me so much!

Sunday Shopping FOTD

It's not Sunday, but I wanted to share my make up from Sunday with you. We headed in to Cardiff for a bit of shopping and I wanted to look fresh and polished yet (fairly) natural. I used some of my all time favourite products and ones I tend to rely upon heavily. I think it shows just how good a product really is when you reach for it time and time again - if you look back through my FOTD's they are all pretty similar. I know these products will last well on my skin without touch ups, because who has time for touch ups when they are shopping?

 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation Intensity 2.0

Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel

 MAC Studio Fix Powder in T-zone

Tom Ford Brow Sculptor - Taupe

Lancome Artliner

MAC Powersurge pencil

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

Clinique Bottom Lash

NARS Kalahari Eyeshadow Duo

 NARS Albatross (inner corners of eyes & tops of cheekbones)

NARS Super Orgasm Blush 

Tom Ford Frantic Pink Blush

Tom Ford Blush Nude lipstick

Tom Ford Naked Lipgloss

 

I layered the Tom Ford blush over a warmer, stronger pinky-peach (NARS Super Orgasm) because with a tan, Frantic Pink can look more like a highlighter. I am still religiously applying the Garnier Summer Body lotion as I talked about here - but I find that I need to use Chanel's soleil tan de chanel to warm up my now too-pale foundations.

I really love this kind of look, it feels comfortable and safe although I do miss bright lips. I think my mission for this week is to dig deep in the lipstick drawer and try some bold lip colours.