An Ode to Essie

Sand Tropez, Chinchilly, Angora Cardi

Ever since Essie nail polishes hit the high street there isn't a beauty blog out there that hasn't mentioned them at some point. I've bought a handful over the past few months, and these three are my current favourites.

Sand Tropez is described as a 'soft sandy beige' and I guess that's pretty correct. It is very pale, so looks nude on my nails. However, it doesn't give me zombie hands as I am extremely pale anyway. I only bought this last week and have worn it a few times since. I find it to be a little bit thinner in consistency than the others, so the first coat applies slightly streaky, but this disappears with a second coat.

Chinchilly (the cutest name ever) is a cool grey colour, with a hint of mauve in it. I love a good grey nail varnish and this one doesn't disappoint. I don't have any issues with the consistency of this one, and you could get away with one coat. 
You can see a combo of Sand Tropez and Chinchilly in this blog post.

Angora Cardi is my ultimate favourite. This photo doesn't do it justice, in real life it isn't as red - it is more of a dusty rose, brown, mauvey mix. This blog post shows it in its true glory. I've been wearing this constantly; the consistency is perfect, and can be opaque in one coat, but I always apply two. It's just stunning, I urge you to go take a look!

As everybody always says, the new wide brush is brilliant; it makes application quick and easy. I find it also helps to get an even coat.
I always use the Revlon Nail Treatment as a base coat, and the Liquid Quick Dry top coat - both of which I recommend.

Thanks for reading x

Kindle Regrets

I'm just going to say it. Spending £80+ on a Kindle has been the biggest waste of money. Not because it's particularly bad, or that it is even expensive for what you get, I just don't like it.

I originally bought the Kindle because I thought it would be good for university - I could keep my set books all in one place, and there are features where you can highlight quotations etc, which is extremely useful for an English student, however, it didn't quite work out that way. 

It's quite simple really, I prefer books. For me, there is nothing quite like cracking the spine of a new book, making notes (in pencil of course) in the margin. I love turning the pages, which obviously you can't do with Kindles. I don't find them easier to read on, in fact I find them more difficult because the task seems much more clinical. There is nothing quite like the feel of a book in your hands.

Don't get me wrong, the Kindle is really good for certain things; I can download PDFs onto it, which is excellent and saves me printing off a 20 page critical essay, but it is hard to make notes on, I prefer to highlight and scribbled notes all over essays so I can easily go back to certain things. There are also no page numbers on Kindles, which is difficult when referencing books for essays.

I'd say the Kindle is good for the avid reader, as kindle editions of novels are generally slightly cheaper than paper copies, it can store thousands of books in one place, and is very lightweight, which makes it good for travelling.

I just like having books and reading from books. It's that simple really.

Do you have a Kindle? What are your thoughts - are e-readers over-taking books?

Thanks for reading x

Booklust Review: The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

I put off buying this book for quite a while, mainly due to the cover art, the title and the synopsis on the back. Three pretty major parts when it comes to buying a book I guess. However, my preconceptions about this novel were completely wrong.


At the base of the story is a love triangle: Madeline: a bright and pretty English Literature student, Leonard: a ridiculously intelligent 'charismatic loner' and scientist, and Mitchell, a theology student, although not initially religious.


The novel is so much more than a love triangle though. I haven't read anything else by Eugenides (I know he wrote The Virgin Suicides, I've seen the film and bought the book recently - it's on my list) but I realised that there must be more to the novel than the synopsis lets on.


It begins at graduation at Brown University, 1981, and then travels through the stories of each of the protagonists. Each section is narrated by a third person, omniscient narrator, but also from the point of view of the character.
There's love, marriage, a divorce, reconciliation and a whole lot of other experience. Mitchell goes travelling to India whilst Madeline tries to decide what to do with her life. Ultimately, she is the only character who does make a decision, a conclusion. Each go on a 'journey', metaphorical, and in Mitchell's case physical.
It ends with a slightly open ended-conclusion, but I think that if there was a true reconciliation it would make the book cheesy, which is definitely not needed here.


The novel is ultimately a 'coming of age' tale, however, the way it is written makes it much more thought invoking, much more mature in a sense.
I just really, really enjoyed it, probably because I can definitely relate to Madeline in some ways, I even bought one of the books she is obsessed with after reading this novel.


Have you read anything by Jefferey Eugenides? What did you think?


Thanks for reading x

Beauty Review - Clinique Skincare

L-R Rinse off foaming cleanser £15.50, 7 day scrub cream £17.50, Liquid facial soap £14, Clarifying lotion £15, Dramatically different moisturising gel £29.

 I first started using Clinique skincare in January. I was after a new routine that didn't cost the earth as my skin had broken out massively, and just wasn't getting better. I wrote a first impressions post about Clinique here.

The first things I bought from Clinique were the Liquid Facial Soap and the Clarifying Lotion as I couldn't justify spending the £29 on the moisturiser. The facial soap is lovely and foams up a lot; after cleansing, I rub it between my fingers and then in a circular motion on my face and then buff it away with a face cloth. 
I follow up with the Clarifying Lotion. I pour a tiny amount onto a cotton pad and sweep it all over my face. I've seen it described as a toner, but when I had my skin consultation, the lady at the counter described it as a very mild liquid exfoliant. If it comes into contact with broken skin, it does sting, so avoid any blemish areas etc. 
I bought the moisturiser on the ferry when I went to Berlin, as I got it in duty free (a.k.a. cheaper). It's a light oil-free moisturiser which sinks in really quickly. It's just a nice moisturiser, and I've had this bottle about 3 months and have barely made a dent in it.

When I bought the Facial Soap and the Clarifying Lotion I got a free little goody bag, which included the cleanser (below), the All About Eyes eye cream, and a few other samples. I don't know about reducing dark circles, but when I used this is definitely felt like my eyes were refreshed and less puff, especially on a morning. I am thinking about splurging on the full size (which is about £25-30 I believe *gulp*) but I'm not so sure yet. 

The Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser does exactly what it says on the bottle. I use a pea sized amount, rub it all over dry skin, rub in a bit of warm water and then buff off with a face cloth. It takes off all face make-up really easily and quickly, in a similar way to the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. The only downside to this is that you can't use it on your eyes, so you need a separate eye make-up remover. I'm not sure I'd buy this myself as it's just a make-up remover for me. I always use the Liquid Facial Soap afterwards, so I may just buy a cheaper alternative.


The 7 Day Scrub Cream was another duty free purchase and cost me £14.50. I don't mind spending that on an exfoliator, as I use them at most two times a week, so I know it's going to last. It's a very creamy exfoliator with tiny beads in it. I don't find it abrasive and it rinses off easily, leaving my skin baby soft.


I am really enjoying using the products I have from Clinique. I know it is often a company that receives mixed reviews, but it has worked wonders for my skin. It doesn't prevent me from breaking out, but when I do, the spots very rarely come to a head and clear up quickly.
My skin type is oily/combination with dry patches in between my eyebrows sometimes. 


If you were considering Clinique I would definitely recommend getting a consultation and asking for samples, as the products aren't the cheapest, being, on average, £15 a pop. Saying that, I have only just repurchased the Liquid Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion, so they have lasted about 4 months. The Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish (which I still love) costs about the same, but lasts me, at most, 2 months. For me it's a no-brainer.


Have you tried products from Clinique? What did you think?


Thanks for reading x


p.s. Sorry about the ropey photography!

Beauty Review - Bioderma

Bioderma Crealine H20 has been popular on beauty blogs for ages now, but I still thought I'd put my two pence worth in. 
Bioderma is a micellar solution, which I believe is basically a water solution which has tiny droplets of oil suspended in it, making it an excellent gentle make-up remover.


I know everybody raves about this stuff, and yes, it is amazing. All you need to do to remove all traces of make-up is soak three cotton pads in the solution; hold one over each eye for about a minute and then gently swipe away, revealing lovely fresh, clean eyes. Use the other for the rest of your face make-up. It takes make-up off gently and quickly, and when followed by a cleanser makes your skin feel lovely. However I have two qualms with it.

• It is hard to get hold of in the UK, with ebay being the best bet (link to the seller I used here). This doesn't particularly bother me, as this is my first bottle that I only bought to try out, but it is really good, so I want to repurchase. Which leads me to my second point.

• The price. I believe that you get what you pay for, so the price tag isn't really what irks me either, I would happily pay £15 on ebay for the big size. However, it just doesn't last that long. You need to soak three cotton pads in the stuff every night. That uses up quite a lot of product. That small bottle only last me about a month. And I won't lie and say I used it religiously. I don't mind paying for a product if it lasts, for example, the Clinique facial soap I use costs £15, but I bought my first one in January and I still have about a week's worth of product left. That's 4 months. 

So yes, it is a really good make-up remover. But that's all it is. There are cheaper alternatives out there, I believe that Boots Botanics does an excellent eye make-up remover for about £4, and La Roche Posay also do a micellar solution, which is more widely available.

Before I splurge on the big bottle, I think I'll go back to my old routine of using a face wipe and then cleansing with my Clinique cleanser, which works really well and just takes a little bit more time. 

For me, Bioderma just isn't worth the money, even though it is great.

What do you think about Bioderma? Do you find it worth the money?

Thanks for reading x

Booklust Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

This is the first of many (I hope) book reviews. Wicked is the novel which inspired the musical of the same name. I went to see the musical a few years ago, not realising it was based on a novel. When I found out it was based on a novel, my sister bought me the books (it is part of a quadrilogy) alongside a copy of The Wizard of Oz for Christmas. I've tackled Wicked a few times without ever actually completing it, so when I broke up for Easter I was determined to finish it. And I did woohoo!

Anyway, the review - I'll try not to include spoilers. Wicked centres around Elphaba, who becomes to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It tells the story of how she becomes 'wicked', beginning at her birth. You follow her through her life, we discover her relationship to G[a]linda (who becomes known as the Good Witch) and how they met at school. 

The following description is taken from Goodreads:

'Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.'

I was blown away by this book. It differs from the musical, so if you've seen that, I highly recommend this to you. Unlike The Wizard of Oz the book isn't aimed at children, and contains quite a lot of sexual content, which shocked me at first. It is a political and social commentary on the nature of good and evil, using the world created in The Wizard of Oz. There are issues about different races, religions and the way that the land of Oz is ruled by the Wizard.
Elphaba is an intriguing character to say the least. She begins life as almost feral in the way she acts, but she grows to be eloquent and inquisitive, but also very opinionated and always independent, due the fact that she has always been different.

I don't want to say too much else as I wouldn't do the book justice. It is multi-faceted and I'm sure that the next time I'll read it I'll notice things I hadn't before. I wholly recommend this book to anyone. If you haven't seen the musical, you definitely should too. Because it is AMAZING.

What do you think of the book reviews?

Thanks for reading x

Shopping as a Pick-Me-Up

With my student loan arriving in my back account yesterday, and me feeling a bit glum I've done a bit of shopping. Well, a few things I bought during the week with a few spare pennies I had in my purse. There really isn't any excuse other than I felt a bit crap and wanted new things. I am definitely an emotional shopper.

Mary Angelou - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Jon Ronson - The Psychopath Test

Nostradamus - Mario Reading

I bought the Mary Angelou book in Tesco (seriously one of the best places to pick up books on the cheap, RRP on this is £8.99 and I got it for just under £4). I haven't heard much about her, apart from the fact that she's mentioned in 'La Vie Boheme', a song from the musical, Rent. After I bought this I did a quick Wiki search and she seems like a pretty interesting character to say the least!

This is the first part in her autobiography (I believe there's six in total) and if I enjoy it I'll be buying the next installment.

This Jon Ronson novel was an impulse buy. I wandered into WH Smiths on my lunch break on Tuesday and ended up buying it. I hate WH Smiths, it's so overpriced and doesn't always have a wide selection of novels, so I don't know why I ended up in there. I usually buy books online for the cheapest price I can find so paying £9 for this nearly gave me a minor heart attack. Especially when I saw it in Tesco a few days later for £4. Nevertheless, the synopsis made it sound really interesting so I'm excited to read it.

The last book I bought was Nostradamus. This was a true bargain. I found it in a little book shop in Whitby and paid £4.99 for it (RRP £16.99). The book is hardback and comes with its own sleeve. It's a book of the 'Top 100 Prophecies', now when I first looked read that I was dubious, because to me, quite frankly, that sounds a bit daft, but when I opened it and saw the illustrations and the list of contents I was sold. Looking at the contents, I wouldn't call the tales inside 'prophecies', myths seems more appropriate. It is a truly beautiful book, and I'm a sucker for a beautiful book.

I may review these once I've read them. Let me know what you think.

Real Techniques Core Collection £21.99

I've watched Pixiwoo videos for quite a while now, and you'd have to be blind to not notice her brushes popping up all over different blogs, so I wanted to get my hands on some. I wandered into Boots this morning with the intention of buying the Stippling Brush from Samantha Chapman's collection of brushes. However, the stippling brush retails at £11.99, and the Core Collection retails at £21.99, so to me, it was a no-brainer to buy the core collection, where you get 3 extra brushes for a tenner extra. Bargain. I haven't used these yet, but I may pop up a review post, or do an 'Everyday Make-Up' post featuring these. 


I've also placed and order for this jacket after seeing it on Jade's blog (and may debut it in my first OOTD?!). I'm justifying it to myself with the fact it seems nice and light for the warmer months, and I only own my leather jacket and hoodies, so this is also a bit smarter. Other than these purchases I'm seriously restricting my spending - not putting myself on a spending ban, because that wouldn't work. But most of my loan (other than rent and bills) is going into my new savings account. I'm trying to be responsible. I even downloaded a money management app to help me keep track of my spending. Go me.


Have you tried the RT brushes or read any of the books? What did you think? 


I hope you're having a lovely weekend, I have an essay to start, but instead I'm going to read the last 75 pages of Wicked and have some dinner before going to work.


Thanks for reading x