Miscellaneous Monday

Instead of one post dedicated to one thing (like usual), I thought I’d mix it up today with a mash of things I’ve been using/loving this past week.

The Happiness Cocktail

Yaz Turker, editor of everyone’s fave beauty website PRIMPED, is definitely one of the nicest and sweetest people you’ll ever meet. Lucky for us Yaz has found those extra minutes in her day (not sure how!) to spend on her side project, The Happiness Cocktail – a blog about health, yummy food, well-being and “searching for sweetness in every scenario”. I’ve been loving insights into yoga and meditation, and eying off some truly delicious looking dishes!

OPI nail polish in ‘Melon of Troy’

It’s been yonks since I can remember wearing a nail polish with any sign of shimmer to it, I’ve been too busy loving solid block colours with a glossy top coat. Melon of Troy is a gorgeous, pink with a touch of orange apricot shade, the shimmer changes the colour slightly in different light, but without being glittery. Not that keen on glitter!

Image: dermstore.com

Lux Shea Exfoliating Scrub Body Wash

For anyone who is trying to avoid the magnet-like pull of dessert cravings come 8pm (or every 15 minutes in my case), hop in the shower and lather up. Yep, the shower. Lux Shea Exfoliating Scrub Body Wash (which was a part of the MBBE goody bags) is a steamy sweet treat – imagine melted Cadbury Caramello, with some wafts of vanilla, or caramel slice, whatever tickles your palette. YUM. The inclusion of Shea butter leaves my skin feeling ultra soft, while a subtle scent keeps me sniffing my arms. While there are little beads in the gel, I wouldn’t call it a thorough exfoliator but the scent is enough for my boyfriend to request a second bottle, quite a change from the usual bar ‘o soap. Cheap win!

Mmm, dessert in a bottle!

Hope you have a fantastic start to the week! x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate; OPI Style.

I’ve succumbed to the last remaining month of winter.

Gone (for now) are my nails that alternated between brights and pastels, reminiscent of my summer jaunt in the US. My latest manicure finds my digits dipped in chocolate. Well, not actual chocolate, but OPI Chocolate Moose. Teamed with a top coat, it takes me right back to the sight and smell of glossy melted chocolate, ready for decorating, baking… or scooped straight from the bowl.

Mmm, fondue anyone?

Now the question is – will this sweet, rich colour sate my chocolate desire, or only further fuel the niggling cravings come 3.30pm?

O.P.I Hong Kong Collection

As I rifled through my PRIMPED VIP package I spied the iconic thick, tapered black lid of an O.P.I nail polish. YES!

I do love these polishes, not only for the amazing every-colour-under-the-sun colour range, but for the quality formula of the polish, which for me, always performs well.

‘Chop-sticking To My Story’ was no exception. I would describe this colour as a ‘burnt-orange’. Definitely orange, but with darker undertones which take away the ‘bright!’ you expect with an orange shade. While not a colour I would usually pick for myself, I definitely found this a wearable and different addition to my nail polish wardrobe. I would suggest that this shade would suit girls who already have a (natural or fake) warmth/olive tone to their skin best.

Look how shiny! And no top-coat!

The eagle-eyed will notice my rush job. Sorry. Have to dash off to pick Maddy up from school. Apparently kids don’t like being the only ones left at the gate. I wouldn’t know… repression works well like that!

The new pro-wide brush splayed out over nearly my entire nail bed, which made application speedy and easy. I loved the formula, which was thick but spread like butter on hot toast. Only one coat was needed, as this baby packed a pigment punch. When I first gave it the ‘official’ trial run, I applied two coats and a clear top-coat, which I reapplied during the week. Super-glossy, strong nails that lasted about 8 days with only the slightest chip. Points, O.P.I, points!

Hrmm. The picture above looks a little too bright. Here’s one that I believe shows the colour a little more true-to-life.

Better representation of the colour without the bright light on them

The polish dries relatively quickly (no ‘dries in .32 milliseconds’ marketing gimmicks here) for a thick formula, which is handy for us gals who like to knock our freshly painted digits on anything and everything after painting.

O.P.I, you and your rainbow of colours are definitely alright in my books, and I look forward to adding to my (sadly small) collection.