Barry M Peach Melba - Swatch & Review

Another one of Barry M's new spring shades, Peach Melba is a creamy pastel peach with no shimmer and a very on trend shade for spring/summer 2011

I love peachy shades so I knew I'd love this but I just wished the texture was a bit smoother, it's not to bad but it does drag and streak a little so a third coat is necessary.

It is a really pretty shade that will compliment all skin tones and one that I think everyone should go out and get.

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Essie FiJi - Swatch and Review

Essie isn't a brand I really go for as I've had a couple of their products in the past and hated them, however I've seen so many people rave about them that I decided to give the brand another go.

Fiji is a lovely milky, pale pink creme that looks gorgeous on both pale and tan skins but it's streaked like mad.

I found it really hard to get a smooth, even finish, what you see is three coats and even then it still looked streaky until I put on top coat.
It dried super fast, much faster than any other brand of polish and I've tried quite a few.

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I've found with Essie polishes the texture can be it and miss, some shades paint like a dream others are a thick, streaky mess. Despite the slight application problem I think Fiji is worth it as it's a gorgeous color.

I'm off to a Trade Only show tomorrow and plan on getting a few more shades from Essie so I'm gonna ask you guys what do you recommend? Are they any must have shades I should buy?

April Favourites

MAC Cleanse Off Oil Tranquil - This takes off every trace of makeup including waterproof mascara. I like it better than the original version as I find it more moisturising, smells of sweet grapefruit and leaves my skin soft and clean.

MAC Eye Shadow in Sable and Casablanca - Sable is a plummy brow shade that works really well has both a lid and crease color, it the sort of color you can just throw on and not have to spend ages blending. Casablanca is an old color from Salsabelle (correct me if I'm wrong) and one of my favourite highlighters. It a soft gold sheen that's not to frosty and kinda reminds me of NARS Albatross only better.

L'oreal Renewal Lash Serum - I've used this product in the past and loved it the only reason I stopped using it was I'd run out and never bothered to get a new tube. My lashes look a million times better when I'm using this and it really makes them thicker and longer.

Chanel Sublime de Chanel Mascara - It gives me length, curl and volume, doesn't flake or smudge and it's super black. I like it just as much as I do the L'Oreal Voluminous.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara - Perfect size brush to reach all those little bottom lashes, sounds gimmicky but it's not. Reasonably priced too and should last a while.

MAC Lipstick in Lazy Day and Candy Yum Yum - Lazy Day is a nude pink similar to Angel but sheerer and more on the nude side, Candy Yum Yum is a bright candy pink bordering on neon.

YSL Lipstick in #148 Tea Rose - The most perfect peachy nude shade of all, light but not too nude that it makes you look like a corpse. Not very long lasting but I'm willing to put up with that cause it is such a gorgeous color.

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 in Mango - I only have a little bit of the Vanilla left so I decided to buy a new one in Mango and let me tell you it smells amazing. I love the formula of Kiehl's Lip Balm as it moisturises well without being heavy or greasy.

Gucci Flora - I love to wear this in the spring and summer, it's a juicy fruity floral that's not to heavy or sweet so perfect for when the weather warms up.
I smell citrus fruits and white peach with a slight spicy undertone, not particularly original but nice all the same.

Barry M Instant Nail Effects White Frost - Swatch & Review

Barry M has recently launched 3 brand new shades of their popular crackle polish: a pink, a blue and a white.

White Frost is a opaque white crackle polish with superb coverage, it's not watery or thin at all and shows up has a true white even over bright or dark colors.
I applied White Frost over Nails Inc Malibu Mojito which is a bright cream finish turquoise.

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I found White Frost really easy to apply, normally Barry M's crackle polishes are quite tricky to apply because they dry so fast but this one went on smoothly.

I find it's best to use quite a thick coat otherwise the crackle effect is much smaller and you don't get to see has much of the base color.

You need to use a top coat with all of the Instant Nail Effects has they dry matte, I find Seche Vite to be the best as it also helps to smooth out the bumpy texture.

Barry M Nail Paint Blue Moon - Swatch & Review

I'm really loving the new shades that Barry M has released for spring.

Blue Moon is a pale, icy baby blue with a subtle ultraviolet blue shimmer that isn't noticeable unless your in direct sunlight.
It's a pretty shade but not very unique has I've seen this sort of color released by quite a few brands.

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The consistency of this particular shade is quite thin so I needed 3 coats to get full opaque coverage. I also found it dragged a little and went on streaky, the best way to apply it is two thin coats followed by a thick coat and to keep the brush strokes to a minimum.

March Favourites

I've not been buying too much new stuff as I want to get trough what I already have so a lot of the products mentioned are old favourites that I use day in day out with the odd new product here and there.

Chanel Hyramax+ Active Moisture Fluid, expensive but worth every penny. Gives me just enough moisture without being greasy and is an excellent make-up base.

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum and Night Cream, I use this combo before bed to exfoliate my skin, in the morning skin is softer, brighter and more even toned.

MAC's Brushes # 187, #138 and #224, I can do my whole face using these 3 brushes alone. I use the 187 to apply my foundation and cream blush, the 138 to apply powder products and the 224 to apply and blend my eyeshadow.

Keihl's Lip Balm #1 in Vanilla, nice and glossy and not heavy feeling while still being really moisturising.

Shu Uemura Art Of Air Essence Absolue, so much better than Moroccan Oil (which I still think is good). Leaves my hair feeling so nice and smooth and cuts out frizz completely, smells amazing too, I also tried a sample of the shampoo and conditioner and they were fantastic.

Laboratoire Physcience Hair Sublim and Wassen Silica-OK, I've been taking these help make my hair grow faster after my disastrous hair cut and I think they work really well. I feel my hair as grown faster but also it seems thicker and healthier too.

Neutrogena Deep Clean Make-Up Remover Refreshing Oil-Free Wipes, these are amazing at removing make-up really quickly without leaving my skin feeling irritated and they smell good too. I stocked up last time Superdrug had their 3for2 offer.

Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume, best fragrance ever!!

I'm NEVER EVER letting anyone cut my hair for me again!!!

Why is it when you go to the hair salon you ask your stylist for a certain cut and you never end up getting what you asked for?

Take today for example.

I had a booking at my usual salon for a cut and blow dry, my usual stylist has left so I booked in with the manager who is at the same level.
Her first step is my consultation, I tell her that my hair as gotten unmanageable and I have a lot of split end but also my fringe needs sorting out has it wont lie straight, sometimes it want to go to the right other times to the left, I ask her to cut it so it can wear it both sides. I also specify that I do not want my layers taken to short because I find them hard to manage that way.
She says no problem, she can cut me in a "switch" fringe, take a little of the layers but still keep it nice and long.

Well let me tell you it is probably the worst haircut I've ever had and I'm majorly pissed off, the only part of it that's okay is the blow dry and she didn't even do that part.

Although she hasn't taken that much of the overall length the layers are much shorter than what I asked for and the fringe is an absolute mess, the best way I can describe it is that it looks like a wedge. I cannot flip it from side to side because the one side is shorter and it has a gap when i wear it on that side, it's also far to thick and heavy and it's just sitting there in one big chunk.

I had it blow dried in big waves today but I know when I straighten it myself tomorrow it's gonna be even more noticeable, the fringe is gonna look even worse, the worst part is that I am trying to grow my hair and this feels like a huge step backwards.

I'm never letting anyone get near my hair again, I'd rather have dried damaged hair that is the shape I want it rather than have a healthy but wonky wedge cut.

Has anyone else had similar experience? What did you do to disguise the cut while it grows out? Do any of you cut your own hair?