Nail(s) of the day! - Mom, Sis and Me!

On the very rare occasion, my sister, mother and I will congregate together in the kitchen to do our nails and its usually just something to do whilst we spend time together.  My Mum works in a food environment so she doesn't wear nail polish on her fingers and only does so on her toes!  I'm the opposite although I have been making a bit more effort recently.  My Sister does both - well, go figure! 

Here are some pictures of everyone's nails!

 

These are my sister's nails and she has this fascination with bright green colours so she put together this very gorgeous combo of I <3 Rimmel's Green Grass as a base and then OPI's Call My Cell-ery on top.  She's added a pretty flower sticker embellishment.  Overall, a gorgeous, flamboyant, summer's green set of nails!

I, on the other hand, went for something I never usually do which is a red.  I tend only to wear reds on special occasions but because I really wanted to try out this Zoya nail polish which was a gift, I decided to go all out and do both hands and feet in red!  I am in love with this formulation, might I say it's just as good as OPI?  This is one coat, smooth application, hassle free and dried in no time.  Where can we UK peeps get this? 
This shade is in 'Salma' so I'm going to channel my inner Mediterranean goddess and maybe put a flower in my hair.  I also added a simple flower embellishment using a few rhinestones.  I'm not a big fan of sticking things on my nails when it's too hot so i stuck to one nail!  That's enough bling for me!  

So Mum decided to mess around with my nail polishes.  She proudly said that she has never tried any other nail colours but reds and pinks and so wanted to see what other colours were like.  What do you think suits her the most?

"meow"

 
"south side"

 

Hope everyone is having a lovely week,

Peace,

Cherry x

Cherry is interviewed!

Thank you Oana for an amazing experience and opportunity!  It was strange to be interviewed for the first time but was wonderful to be asked such positive and stimulating questions! 

I thought some of you might enjoy a bit of 'light' reading so  here is a link to the interview and please subscribe to Oana's lovely blog!!!!

http://networkedblogs.com/5gZp5

A Lady's Summer Face

It's very easy to achieve an effortless look when the look really is effortless!  In the summer we want bright, breathable and beautiful so that's what I've tried to achieve with this look.  It's very simple, wearable and lady-like; I wore it to the Taste of London festival with a white and pink outfit. 

It's a peachy day look that I feel compliments brunettes particularly and can work for all skin tones:

 

  Skin:
Mac Prep and Prime Primer w/ SPF 50
Revlon Beyond Natural Foundation - Light Pale 210
Benefit It Stick concealer
Illamasqua 'Excite' Blusher
GOSH Precious Bronzing Pearls - Glow

Lips:
Illamasqua lipstick - Obey *DUPE* BarryM's lip paint in 147

Eyes:
L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Liquid Eyeliner on upper lash lines
Benefit Eye Bright on lower lash lines
Gosh Amazing Length'n Build Mascara

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub

The Low Down
I believe I purchased Lush's Mint Julips Lip scrub around last Christmas time when they first arrived in store.   At the time it was a purchase I didn't think much about and I had no other experiences with 'lip scrubs' but I couldn't help but wonder how this would differ from any other scrub.  Nonetheless I picked up this small, heavy jar and hoped for the best.  I've been using it from time to time and usually in the bathroom.  I find it hard to just apply throughout the day as some others have been doing because of the consistency (we shall get back to that later).

The scrub smells like mint-chocolate chip which I think was a smart move considering this is something that could easily be ingested accidently (or on purpose as I've heard as well!).  It gives a soothing tingle to lips and so when I use it I always feel quite refreshing.  A few friends I know have also been testing it out, right now, the verdicts from many are still undecided. 

This jar gives you 25g of product and contains castor sugar, jojoba oil, vanilla extract, tagetes oil, peppermint oil and limonene. 

And what do they claim?
"Our fabulous lip scrubs are here to keep your kissers sweet. When you use Mint Julips, you'll find yourself craving a bowl of mint-chocolate chip ice cream. It's made with refreshing peppermint oil, which will make your lips feel soothed and tingly, and sweet vanilla extract to lock in moisture and protect your lips. Simply rub it over your lips when they're feeling the need for some sugar".

                                                                                                                      - Lush.co.uk

How did it work for Cherry?
When I first opened it, it really did look like a small jar with sugar.  It's of a brownish colour and the first thing, besides the consistency, that I remember was the great mint-chocolate chip smell.  When it came to using it I found it incredibly grainy as I couldn't pick up anything on my finger. It proceeded to drop everywhere so what I had to do was drop a tiny drop of olive oil into it.  Since then the consistency has been perfect and it didn't dissolve the sugar. 

I've been using this product for a long while now and overall I'm pleased.  I love how smooth it makes my lips and the tingly sensation it gives.  It's comforting and uplifting smell is pleasing as well.  The only thing is is that this is EASILY replicable at home and does not need to be bought from a store.  A simple mix of sugar, peppermint oil and a few drops of olive or jojoba oil is enough.  You can use straight sugar and oil if you really wanted to.  So why pay for a product like this?  Probably because you're either too lazy or you don't have sugar in your house - but that's unlikely.

Since I've got to the bottom of the jar the oil has remained at the bottom so the consistency has become more liquid-like but the grains are still there and usable.  It has not yet gone rancid which is always good to know!

How can you use this product?
I find that I use this about once a week and I only take a small amount.  I usually use this in the shower and I try not to get any water in it.  It scrubs well and eventually due to the moisture in the shower it dissolves into my lips and skin.  I think the added olive oil also makes it even more moisturising so that is a bonus.  Also because I sometimes get dry skin around my nose and on certain patches on my skin it needs some light exfoliation just to smooth it out.  This scrub is good for a quick scrub on small areas as well.

How much will it cost me?
In the UK this is £4.50 - pretty pricey for what is ultimately sugar and oil.

Cherry’s Final Verdict
What I do like is the smell and that it's made my lips smooth every time.  It's given me a quick reminder that lips need love and care too and sometimes lip balms cannot solve flaky lips on their own.  However once this is used up I shall use it to contain my own lip scrub which will cost a fraction of the price.  It's not that I don't love it, it's just I love my money more!

Furthermore I've been hearing that people have been rubbing this on their lips and then licking it up?  I know that it's from Lush and it's 'natural' but I think even that pushes it for me.  Do you really want to be eating your dead lip skin for fun?  I'm not sure I would but I guess it's each to their own.

I give this product a good 4/5; it loses a point for the price.

Peace,

Cherry x

Win prizes!

Enter Vicky's amazing 75 followers give-away! Hopefully you will win and love her blog as much as I love it too :)

Clairol Nice'n easy hair dye - Natural Lighter Golden Brown

I've been dying (haha) to dye my hair for months now; I seem to have mislaid the memory of the last previous hair dying session because it's been a bronze-like brown for a good four to six months (or so - who knows).  I remember months back my friends were commenting on my hair colour and all I could think was "what ...what's so different?" and since the sun has been shining I've realised it's not even my unhealthy brown that they were seeing it was some other type of brown only a dye could create.  So it was bugging me all this time and I've never been a fan of this type of brown; it's very 'Cherry back at high school' and it's way to warm for my liking.  I also know if I give it too long in the sun it will turn bright orange - so something HAD to be done.

I scoured the shops for a type of brown I have never tried and also decided I would try a different brand just to push my limits to the max!  First, let's show you my cam whoring pictures and then we shall discuss the outcome! 

Below are pictures of literally yesterday, pre-unknowingly-coloured:

  Can you see that the brown you catch in the sunlight is very light and bronze?  Compared to my Sister's hair in the last picture, it's very brown despite in some pictures it seems black.

Below are pictures of the new hair colour! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's different about nice'n easy compared to the previous hair dyes I'm used to is the colour-blend technology.  You can see that each picture shows a slightly different tone and my whole family agree that its lighter on the top and darker at the ends.

I didn't know how to feel about this because I'm so used to it being one block colour but I've decided I really like it.  I love that it gleams in the sun and my hair looks more interesting now.  The colour wasn't as light as I was hoping for but as all us brunettes know, it's hard to achieve a brighter colour without bleaching our hair.  This is the closest a hair dye has to getting it to the colour I wanted and it's very similar to what is predicted on the box.

The one thing I have to say about this hair dye is that it PARTICULARLY smells violent; the smell is extremely strong and almost burned my throat sore.  I would urge anyone to open plenty of windows and doors when using this product.

More hair updates soon as I'm getting my hair cut on the 5th of July!  In the mean time, tell me what you think and what you would suggest if I wanted to go even lighter next time!

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Boots Botanics Face Soothing Cleansing Balm

The Low Down
As you all may know I am a gigantic, raging Botanics devotee and I have been using their products since I can remember.  I think I've tried about 70% of their products and I am still finding little gems from their brand range once in a while.  My latest discovery from Botanics is this Organic Face Soothing Cleansing Balm which comes with a organic cotton cloth and is packaged in a fancy little box.  This is a product that is mainly used for cleansing the skin and removing make up from your face and what it attempts to do is to soothe the face with its natural ingredients.  This product also nourishes the skin and therefore its a good alternative for those who find some make up removers too harsh.  The additional cloth is designed to help remove the make up, exfoliate the face and by using it as a compress you could draw out impurities as well.

This product is of solid consistency and feels similarly to say something like Coconut Oil or Wax.  Having bought and used three of these babies already I have found crystal formation on the top of this product every time which is apparently very normal (they even have a slip in the box which tells you so).  The crystals melt away through warmth so it does not affect the effectiveness of the product. 

Originally I purchased this on the recommendation of a few friends on Youtube and I was intrigued because I had never even looked at this one properly.  At the same time I didn't feel the need to use another make-up removing product because I have plenty and I felt the usual Olive Oil trick worked for me just fine (bar the occasional residue that never quite came off).  However I gave it a go because it sounded amazing and for a small fortune I thought it would be good to try something new. 

And what do they claim?
This product contains Shea Butter which is widely used in West Africa for both cooking and skincare.  They say that Shea butter is both nourishing and conditioning to skin and hair.  Botanics also claim that when used together the organic cleansing balm and cloth gently and effectively cleanses and exfoliates to remove make-up and impurities, leaving the skin feeling soft, healthy and clean.

How did it work for Cherry?
You can probably already guess that I adore this product having repurchased over and over again.  I personally do not use the organic cloth because I find it harder to clean with and the make up is hard to wash off of the cloth.  Altogether I didn't like using it so I gave in and bought facial cleansing sponges instead. (I found the one from The Body Shop the best; I've used one from Superdrugs before and while it worked well, it just wasn't a good a quality as the Body Shop's and furthermore I found it needed discarding quick). 

This product leaves absolutely no trace of make up on the face and it does keep my skin feeling very nourished.  What I like about it is that it's a better cleanser than olive oil, it's organic, it smells wonderful and it's almost therapeutic to use. 

There are a few things I must make you aware of is that if this product gets into your eyes it's mildly uncomfortable; it won't blind you and it won't cause you agony but it's not nice to have in your eye at all.  Secondly if like me you use this once a day to cleanse off your make up you will find you have to repurchase this quite often.  However in saying that I think I may be the very few out there who goes through this stuff like a chocolate bar, for some reason I like to use quite a bit but that may be due to the fact that I do wear a lot of make up.  So it will vary between people but I would say if you love this, be ready to repurchase it sooner than you think.

 

How can you use this product?
I use this product in the shower and it's the first thing I do even before washing my hair.  You can take a small amount and start massaging it straight onto the face dry or wet.  Once you have massaged enough (I use my eyelashes as a bench mark - once all the mascara feels like its come off then I'm good to go), I will wet the sponge under very warm water and start massaging away in circular motions.  Then I keep run water over my face with the sponge still wiping away at my face until all make up residue has disappeared. 

After cleansing off my make-up I still find it a necessity to use a facial wash.  By using the cleanser you have cleaned off the first layer of make up and dirt that sits upon your skin but its still vital to deep cleanse. 

How much will it cost me?
You will find this product in Boots at £6.49.  Not a huge price to pay but definitely more expensive than some. 

Cherry’s Final Verdict
I really enjoy using this product but that doesn't mean I feel it's necessary; with this said I cannot stop using it and there is something about this product that makes me keep repurchasing.  The selling points for me is that it's organic, it's effective and does what it says on the box.  It's integrated well into my routine and I think if I had to go back to cleansing with a make up remover or olive oil then I would feel sad.  That's not to say I couldn't live without it but I do enjoy using this and until there becomes a reason not to then I probably won't stop using this. 

Finally I have to say that in the process of using the balm I did stop and started using pure Coconut Oil to see if it did the same job.  I purchased a large tub of solid coconut oil to use a cleanser (and for other home remedies such as hair masks) and it worked exactly the same.  It's also a solid form of oil and I have a hunch that solid oils probably cleanse better than liquid oils; don't ask me why but it seems this way).  The upside to using coconut oil is that it didn't feel half as uncomfortable as the cleansing balm when its accidentally rubbed into the eye.  What I missed about the cleansing balm is the smell and how it made me feel but the coconut oil cleanser worked equally as well and my skin still remained soft and nourished.  Furthermore, a gigantic tub of coconut oil from a health food shop such as Holland and Barretts costs around £11 and has a greater versatility as it can be used as a moisturiser for the skin and hair not to mention in your cooking. 
The reason I switched back to using the cleansing balm is purely because Boots often does good promotions on the Botanics ranges and I find it hard to resist.  Also by the time I reached near the end of the coconut oil it began to go slightly rancid (...I know) because I kept dipping my fingers in but it kept well for ages.  So providing I was a bit more sensible with the coconut oil next time, it could prove to be a much more frugal move on my part and in a sense it's even more natural.  I don't know whether this is the move I shall make next time; I think it depends on what kind of offers there are at Boots!  But if you feel that the cleansing balm is not for you because of either the price or perhaps the availability to you, then try coconut oil. 

Overall I am still awarding this product 4.5 Cherries because of it's effectiveness and great unique selling points.  It loses a point because I seem to use it up quickly and therefore it can cost me quite a far amount of money in a year.

 

My Pink Nail Polishes - Swatches

Nail polishes are quite an addiction to mine and while I do not collect for the sake of it, I do like to buy nail polishes even if I'm not going to use them all the time. If I like the colour and if I will wear it, I will buy it, but some of my nail polishes may have been used once or twice.  In saying this though I love them all equally and each one has its own story as to why I bought them. 

Last time I showed you my nail polishes collection and this time I think it would be useful to show you swatches of each colour group; this way you may see something you like and add to your own collection.  I'm starting off with the pinks because I I know its one of the more popular nail polishes colours and pink is always nice to wear in the Summer. 

You must also bare in mind that my nail polishes mostly consist of BarryM and OPI.... my two favourite brands!

 

No7's Stay Perfect ~ Frosted Pink ~

OK contrary to everything I've said above, this is neither an OPI or BarryM and nor does this have a story as such.  The others do I promise.  But this was given to me many many years ago therefore I can't tell you if its the right consistency or smell at all.  I can tell you if seems still in good condition; it's just very sheer and its frosty without being too shimmery.  I like.

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 279 Bright Pink ~

True to its name, a very bright Barbie-esque Pink.  I would say its one of the more out-there pinks I have but it's definitely cute for "dress up like a little girl" night.  I picked this up because I just thought that it would be a sin to go without a 'proper' pink.  So I know that when I'm looking for something that cries out baby cute, this is the one to go for!

 

Shu Uemura's ~ C975 ~

I actually didn't show this one in my nail polish collection post because I somehow misplaced this somewhere else.  When I rediscovered it on my desk I was ecstatic!  This pink brings back so memories.  I purchased this in Japan a few years ago and it's still in such good condition.  It's a brilliant statement pink and even though it's very loud, I find it more wearable than some other pinks.  I think this may be one of my favourite pinks and since I have rediscovered this, I want to buy more nail polishes from Shu Uemura.  This pink reminds me of Japan and its cute lolitas walking around the streets of Tokyo.  I adore this one!

China Glaze ~ Mom's Chiffon ~

I'm personally not the hugest China Glaze fan, i like them but I won't queue up for them.  However this pink caught my eye quite a while back and why I like it is because its a very pretty warm pink and it's more sophisticated.  It's soft and I feel more wearable than a lot of light pinks because it almost has a peachy tone to it.  LOVE THIS.

 

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 305 Pink Flamingo ~

This baby is very similar to China Glaze's Mom's Chiffon but I would say that Pink Flamingo slightly peachier and less 'pink' if you will.   Again, I love this colour for the same reasons why I love Mom's Chiffon.  I think it has to be one of my favourite BarryM Nail Paint shades.  I remember falling in love with this and I believe its one of my earlier BarryM Nail Paints purchased!

Rimmel 60 Seconds ~ Rose Libertine ~

I know a lot of you love this already, it's Rose Libertine!  I would say that the picture on the left, which is taken with a flash, seems more true to its colour!  It's a nice, creamier wearable pink and I really love the formula.  I adore this nail polish brush as well.  Overall a huge win for me and I know I've worn this more than once so that is saying something!

Eyeko Nail Polish ~ Tea Rose Polish ~

I can't say enough good things about the Eyeko nail polishes, it's a shame there aren't that many shades that I do fancy but I do have a few.  I particularly adore this one because its not a pink I really have a dupe for.  It reminds me of a creamy berry yogurt actually and what I love is that it's a muted out pink without any dullness, it's quite old school looking and just so CUTE.  I love this so much!

OPI Nail lacquer ~ Japanese Rose Garden ~

To be honest I recall buying this because I loved the name so much, typical isn't it?  But I do like this because it's one of the pinks that has a touch of purple in it.  It's soft and a more elegant kind of pink.  You could easily where this shade any time you're feeling extra feminine and it would suit everyone.  I can't say I've worn this more than once but that doesn't mean I dislike it at all!

OPI Nail Lacquer ~ Shorts Story ~

I recall this polish being in a collection that OPI comes out with from time to time.  I adore this because it's bright without being loud, it's similar to Japanese Rose Garden if you added more pink and made it brighter.  Another stable favourite pink of mine!

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 302 Fushia ~

Here is statement pink at its best.  It's a deep hot pink and it definitely reserved for my more louder moments.  Personally I feel like you could wear this in the day but you would agree that its less wearable than say, for example, Pink Flamingo or RImmel's Rose Libertine.  This screams out edgy and hardcore so I prefer to use this in the evening. 

Topshop Limited Edition Nail Polish ~ Sunset ~

You may have noticed this is probably the odd one out of the lots.  Beside No7's frosted pink, there are no other glittery or shimmery ones in my collection.  This is because generally I prefer matte nail polishes and I'm not sure a big fan of glitters or shimmers unless they're extra special.  Don't get me wrong, I love fancy nails and all that shebang but it's not often I will pick one like Sunset.  However I think I liked this because it reminded me of the sunset (true to its name) and it looked perfect for this summer.  The formulation for this one is actually quite sheer so you have to apply three coats if you want to see no more nails!  It does dry very quick however and I do love the gold in this nail polish, I guess it makes it interesting.  Definitely the underdog of all the pinks! 

I hope you found that remotely interesting, if you have any other pinks you think I will like, please tell me about it!  I am ALWAYS looking for nice new nail polishes to purchase.

Peace,

Cherry x