DIY Brush Holder

DIYing isn't my usual idea of fun so when my favorite candle burnt out I was just going to throw the pretty glass jar away, but there I was trying to stuff my daily makeup brushes into a small acrylic container and a light bulb went off in my head. Now using a jar to hold you brushes is probably something you have heard a million times before but i'm going to share with you my way of doing this super simple holder.
Step 1: you need to find a jar, whether this is a random jar you have lying around or a jar of an old candle.
Step 2: (only applicable if you have candle wax in your jar) To remove any remaining wax from your jar sit it in some hot water but do not let any water into the jar. Leave it for a few minuets and the remaining wax should just pop out.
Step 3: buy some vase decorating beads. You can get these in loads of colors but I went for clear, just make sure they are not to big or to small. I purchased mine for around $5 at Michaels but you should be able to find them in most craft stores.
Step 4: fill up your jar with the beads, you don't want to fill it to much so they over flow when you stick in your brushes but you need enough to hold them upright.
Step 5: place your brushes into your jar in any way you like, if they do not stand up by themselves now you may need to add more beads.

And your done, told you it was simple.

Origins Over Night Mask

I feel like I haven't done a review on a any skincare in a while so today I am going to be having a little chat about the Origins Drink Up Intensive Over Night Mask.
My skin can sometimes be dryer than the Sahara desert and it is usually looks and feels bluh, this mask is a life saver when it comes to those tough times.

What it is formulated to do: Skin depends on water for its youthful functioning. But all day long, skin loses vital moisture and the busier you are, the more it loses. This intense moisture replacement mask with avocado and apricot kernel oil deeply and instantly quenches compromised moisture reserves and builds a reservoir for tomorrow. Best for dry skin types, Japanese seaweed repairs skin's barrier to prevent future dehydration and signs of premature aging.


I love love this ask, no matter how dry my skin is it never fails to do it's job. I use it once a week or depending if I feel I need it. You just apply a thin layer before bed and it set's down so it doesn't smear on your pillow then come morning you just wash it off. The scent for me is not one I particularly like but I know a lot of people do love it, it is by no means offensive just a little fruity smelling for me. If you are like me and have dry flaky skin or even if you have combination skin and its feeling a little dull and dry in these winter months, you need this mask! You can pick it up now in Sephora and select department stores for $25.

Party On...

So last week I picked up this beautiful collection of Deborah Lippmann nail polishes, I owned only one polish by Deborah until this and I was really looking for what shade I wanted next and then I came across this beauty. This set I believe is exclusive to Sephora and it is also limited edition so grab it while you can! Coming in at $55 it is a little bit on the pricey side but with a $108 value it really is a bargain. I also think this would make a great gift for a friend or multiple friends, you could easily split the polishes between them. Or like me you can treat yourself to these gorgeous polishes, plus it is a great way to try the brand if you never have before.
Now onto the products themselves, if you have used Deborah Lippmann before you will know how amazing her polishes are especially the shimmers and glitters. Each bottle contains half of the amount of product that the full size contains, which is pretty good to be classed as a mini. Plus you get 3 shimmers, 3 glitter and 3 crème polishes in this set (a heck load of product).


Now lets talk about color and finish, I will go through each polish in the way they are displayed in the box.

#1 Fashion- A beautiful crème formula in a beautiful taupe nude that would suit all skin tones.
#2 Whatever Lola Wants- Shimmery mix of nude, pink, lilac and silver. When I purchased this set I expected this to be the color I liked the least, but boy was I wrong it has been on my nails all week and I'm officially in love! It's great if you want some neutral that still looks fun.
#3 Let's Go Crazy- A purple base full if glitter in red, blue and purple. This glitter is very opaque so you wont have to paint a million coats to get the desired affect.


#4 Between The Sheets- A color that is really quite different to all the others in my collection it a crème formula and the color is kind of a mix of a bright pink and lilac.
#5 Good Girl Gone Bad- This color is one of my favorites. Sephora describe the color as a cabernet shimmer and I think it is spot on, a mix of purple and red shimmer in a burgundy purple base.   
#6 99 Luftbaloons- This glitter is a little different in the way it has a colored back ground but the color is a sheer red which actually looks quite cool on the nails. You could build it up to be opaque and the glitter in the polish is seriously multi colored and seriously festive.


#7 It's Raining Men- A stunningly beautiful classic red crème, a color everyone needs.
#8 Through The Fire- A shimmery burgundy that's great for this time of year.
#9 Boom Boom Pow- This is a gold glitter like no other. The gold is not to yellow but also not to orange, it has shimmer, fine glitter and chunky gold pieces. This will be perfect to go on top of any color to give it that Christmas kick!


In other words I approve!



A Livley Red



L'Oreal have recently released four red shades in their Collection Exclusive range. The four different shades are meant to suit a range of skin tones and they are all based on a different L'Oreal spokes model, Eva, Liya, Blake and Julianne. They are all rich matte formulas that include pure pigments and jojoba oils to keep your lips hydrated. I picked up Blake Livley's shade and while it sadly won't make me any where near as beautiful as her (sigh) it still is an amazing red that is almost a little burgundy. Also the packaging is really beautiful for an inexpensive lipstick, wait I haven't mentioned the price yet. They can be brought in the UK for 6.99GBP and will be available here in the US early next year.




(Excuse the messy hair :))

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint

When I first went back home in January I picked up a few of the Barry M Hi-Shine Nail Paints after reading loads of great things about them on multiple blogs. They are simply amazing polishes for their price coming in at 3.99 GBP but I will go a bit more into the formula in a minuet, first lets talk color range. With 37 colors ranging from pure whites, to bright pinks, to dark purples and blues you really could never be stuck for what to pick. I own 8 polishes now but defiantly will be buying more next time i'm home. Sadly you can only purchase these in the UK but if you do live there check out Boots now as they are on 3 for 2. Now onto the formula, it really is very gel polish like and is super chip resistant I can get a good weeks wear out of them with a good top coat. Plus with some of the colors in a rush you could get away with just one coat bonus! I do have one bad thing to report, the formula can be a little iffy in the paler shades. Now i'm only judging this on my two nude colors (Lychee and Almond) so it may be different in the pastel colors but I have just found these two colors are a little gloopy in texture and can be a bit more tricky to apply.
    One thing I am not so keen on is the packaging just because the silver lids have began to tarnish a bit and turn black around the edges (as you can see on the pink and red colors) I would just prefer the lids normal Barry M polishes have but it's defiantly not enough to put me off buying them.





Shades from L-R
Pomegranate, Almond, Dragon, Lychee.



Shades from L-R
Damson, Cardamom, Chai, Plum.