Affordable Nail Art Products at StylesNails

*This is a sponsored post.

Stylesnails is one of the largest wholesalers of nail products online, offering a very large range of nail  care, art and decoration related items that include nail gel polish in various collections, glossy and matte top coats and primer gels; regular nail polish; easy to use false nails in different shapes and designs; rhinestones and decorations including bows, flowers, stickers, 3D charms, crystals, pearls and glitter; nail art equipment like resin palettes, tool holders, electric buffers, cotton pads and sets of drill heads; and nail brushes and driers. 

As a part of their artificial nail collection they have the Zebra Pattern Fake Nails, which are an easy way to update your look as they are easy to put on (you just have to press them on) and they come in other different styles too if zebra pattern isn't your thing. 

A few of my favourite nail decorations from StylesNails that I would love to try are shown above: Hamsa hand gold 3D charms with a crystal centre, Sailor Moon decorations in the shape of her transformation brooches, natural dried flowers in pastel colours, and a pot of mixed metallic shapes and pearls. 

If you are interested in nail art as either a professional or just as a hobby, then you would definitely enjoy having a look at the whole range of products on StylesNails, which you can do with just one >>>clic<<<. Happy Shopping!

xo

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I hope you have an amazing day surrounded by the people you love, that you get spoiled, eat delicious food and feel warm and cosy sharing cuddles with your nearest and dearest.

xo

The Autumn/Winter Skincare Wishlist

As I am about to finish a couple of my skincare products, I wanted to share the ones I've had my eye on for a while:

Superdrug Vitamin C Cleansing Oil: I've used a cleansing oil before (the Simple one), though this one with vitamin C and safflower oil sounds very interesting. 

Simply Pure Hydrating Serum: I've repurchased it a couple of times before, this ceramide serum is great to protect the skin during colder weather (read the full review)

The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc Serum: Another product I've been using for a while, a must have for oily skin (full review)

Simple Age Resisting Face Wash: it has nourishing, calming and softening ingredients such as oat extract, camomile, vitamins E, B5 and green tea (discover the benefits of green tea)

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Lips: this lip balm contains panthenol, shea butter, beeswax and MP-lipids to soothe and protect the skin on the lips.

Simple Micellar Water: I've used this one before too, I like that it contains pore purifying niacinamide and calming camomile extract (full review)

Superdrug Vitamin C Peel Mask: another vitamin C product that I'm very interested in trying as it would help fade pigmentation marks and improve collagen production. 

The Inkey List Retinol Serum: this not only has retinol in it, but also peptides which would be of great help with my skin texture issues.

Is there anything on your wishlist?

xo

Nivea MicellAIR Sensitive Skin Micellar Water

With the upcoming holidays you could be wearing a bit more makeup than usual, and after coming home late at night you might want a quick way to remove makeup - which is where micellar water comes in. 

The Nivea MicellAIR Micellar Water for Sensitive Skin is a "3 in 1 makeup remover" that can be used on face, eyes and lips; doesn't need rinsing and claims to effectively remove makeup, cleanse deeply but gently and soothe & hydrate. 

To use this micellar water, I apply it onto a cotton round then swipe gently over my eyes and lips (I stopped using it on my face since I found myself doing that PLUS double cleansing which was a bit too much for me). It effectively removes makeup without the need to rub, doesn't irritate my skin or eyes and it is very easy to use - no need to shake to mix 2 phases or anything like that. 

I like that this micellar water has castor oil, which benefits lash grow; and grape seed oil, which is safe to use on oily skin because of its higher linoleic acid content (46 - 74%). Panthenol and glycerin also help soften and hydrate the skin. The fact that it doesn't need rinsing off is great, though I still do so to avoid drying out the skin or licking it off my lips, as it does have some mild surfactants after all.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product if you want a gentle makeup remover that you can use all over your face, is effective, quick and easy to use. It comes in 3 different sizes: 100 ml, 200 ml and 400 ml, so there is a size to suit you depending on your needs.

Find Nivea MicellAIR Sensitive Skin Micellar Water in Superdrug.

xo

New In: October & November 2019

Green Tea in Skincare

Source of Nature Toner White & Green Tea £2 // St. Ives Green Tea Scrub £5.65

Tonymoly Green Tea Cleansing Water £16.50 // I Heart Revolution Fixing Spray Green Tea £6

Garnier Pure Active Matcha Clay Detox Mask £6

Simple Age Resisting Facial Wash £4.50 // St. Ives Cleansing Stick Matcha & Green £10

Holika Holika Green Tea Egg Soap £10 // Revolution Skincare Green Tea & Walnut Face Mask £8

e.l.f. Hydrating Serum £14 

Green tea might make a nice alternative to coffee for your morning drink, but did you know how it can benefit your skin when applied topically?

T-Shirt & Pearl Bag

Shop Update

I've been adding more artwork to my Red Bubble shop - all Christmas related. Each design is available in lots (if not all) of possible products. Go take a look and you might find something you like for yourself or as gift for someone this Christmas!

xo

PS. If you haven't already, check out my Christmas Gift Guide with everything under £50.

The Best Black Friday Deals of 2019

One of the biggest sale events of the year is here and if you've had your eye on something for a while or still have some Christmas shopping to do, now is the time as you can take advantage of these great discounts:

Fashion: 

• Topshop: 25%off everything
• ASOS: Up to 70% off everything
• Skinnydip: 30% off everything and up to 70% off sale
• H&M: 20% off everything
• Dresslily: Up to 25% off on orders over $30 with code DLKOL25C

Beauty:

• The Body Shop: 30% off with code 14664
• Glossier: 20% off everything until Monday
• Superdrug: Up to 60% off hundreds of lines
• Yes Style: 15% off with code 2019BLACKFRI + an extra 5% off with my code NAV2019

Stationery:

• Typo: 40% off sitewide
• The Works: up to 25% off when you spen £10 or more with code BLACK25
• Red Bubble: 25 to 60% off everything with code CYBERDEALS (check out my store here)

Will you be treating yourself today?

xo

Christmas Gift Ideas Under £50

Ted Baker Polly Gift Set £24 // Frank Body Cherry Lip Duo £16

The Body Shop Warm Vanilla Set £18 // Hot Water Bottle & Eye Mask £15 // Typo 2020 Diary £12
Gingerbread Woman Pouch £8 // Cashmere Gloves £50 // Skinnydip Peach Travel Mug £14 Trilogy Skincare Set £32 // Topshop Puffer Tote Bag £25

Retro Pocket Gamer £6 // Beard Comb Keyring £7 // The Body Shop Hemp Moisture Gift Set £22

Gingerbread Man Notebook £9.44 // Neal's Yard Energise Collection £45

Superdry Leather Wallet £30 // Wireless Charger £20

Pac Man Alarm Clock £25 // Emanuel Ungaro Art EDT £20 // Dragon Ball Z Hoodie £25

Christmas is only four weeks away and if you haven't decided on what to get for that special someone then this gift guide is for you - everything is under £50 and some items are on offer but I've used the full price on this post so click on your favourite things and you might get a favourable surprise!

Also check out my Secret Santa Gift Guide with all suggestions under £15, perfect for stocking fillers too.

xo

The Ordinary Black Friday Sale

The Ordinary is having a month long sale throughout the whole of November instead of just one day for Black Friday, and 23% off on top of their really affordable prices mean major savings. On my wish list are: 

Sea-Buckthorn Fruit Oil: this organic oil contains high concentrations of omega 7 (or palmitoleic acid), which nourishes and protects skin from free radicals as well as being a DHT blocker, which means fewer hormonal breakouts.

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%: niacinamide helps with evening skin tone and reducing sebum production, and zinc is antibacterial so it helps with breakouts. A must have for me, I've been using this formula (from this and from other brands) for about 2 years now.

Pycnogenol 5%: this powerful anti inflammatory and antioxidant is helpful in combating free radicals, as well as protecting  collagen and reducing pigmentation. 

100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder: another antioxidant that helps with collagen production and fading pigmentation, plus the powder formula means you don't have to worry about it losing its potency over time.

Will you be taking advantage of this sale?

xo

Lover-Beauty: Shapewear at Wholesale Prices

This is a sponsored post. 

With the holiday season fast approaching, we want to look our best and sometimes this involves dressing up - whether in fancy dress or actual fancy outfits such as fitted dresses. And sometimes we might need a little help to slip into a dress or to smooth out our shape, which is where Lover-Beauty comes in. 

Lover-Beauty is an online shapewear, lingerie, sportswear, swimwear and women's fashion website with very affordable prices, including some of the best shapewear wholesale prices. And now I will share with you some of my favourite finds from Lover-Beauty.

Above on the left is the Black seamless shaper, which will serve to smooth your figure as well as a base coat if you are wearing a sheer blouse. On the right is the High waist skirt, which will tuck everything in thanks to the ultra high design and will help bodycon dresses look smoother.  

On this picture we have a couple more items that I think are great basics to wear under your holiday outfits: on the left we have the Lace body shaper, which I love the fabric of and the classic black colour means it goes well with almost everything. It features adjustable straps and a lower back, so it's perfect if you are wearing a garment that shows the upper back. And on the right is the Black  seamless body shaper in plain black, which also has adjustable straps but the extra length on the lower half means it will shape the upper tights as well as providing an opaque base for any sheer skirts or dresses. 

As I mentioned before, Lover-Beauty not only does shapewear but also has a section of Christmas costumes wholesale online, which can be handy if you are looking to dress up at a party. And I want to mention that all the items shown above are under $10 USD, so do have a look if you are on a budget.

xo

Cashmere & Denim

Secret Santa Gift Ideas Under £15

Ghost Mini Gift Set £9 // Gingerbread Woman Tote Bag £13.56

Skinnydip Pearl Drop Earrings £10

Dove Shower + Diffuser Set £10 // Burt's Bees Lip Butter £5

Nivea XL Gift Set £7.50 // Men's Gingerbread Man Socks £13.42

Henry Screen Wipe £6

Ted Baker Mini Trio £12.50 // Bulldog Beard Care Kit £15

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas so here is a collection of gifts perfect for your secret Santa or maybe for stocking fillers as they are all under £15. Some of them are currently on offer so will cost even less, though I put the full price next to each link. My full Christmas gift guide is out now, so do check it out for even more ideas!

xo

Linen & Stripes

H&M T-Shirt // Galatea Loafers // H&M Linen Trousers

(Similar: Striped T-Shirt, Leather Loafers, Linen Trousers)

One summer afternoon in Canvey Island, wearing a pair of breezy linen trousers, striped t-shirt and leather loafers. Wearing all past seasons items that are no longer available (as most of the time ha). Does that make me a bad fashion blogger or a good one? ;P

xo

La Derniere Danse by Indila

A music video recommended to my by Youtube: La Derniere Danse by Indila. I really like the intensity of the song and I think the clips chosen complement it perfectly - they are from the movie La Belle Personne, which I haven't watched yet but looks like something I'd enjoy as I'm a fan of dramas. The blue undertone, the aesthetic and styling has made me add it onto my watch list.

xo

Ruffles & Pearl Bag

H&M Cardigan // Dresslily Top* // Topshop Jeans // Skinnydip Pearl Bag // Topshop Loafers

(Similar: White Cardigan, Ruffle Top, Black Loafers)

These pictures are from my birthday, when we went out for dinner. The top is gifted from Dresslily and Dot got me my pearly bag. It's also probably one of the times where my hair has been the longest ever.

xo

PS. Here are some Dresslily Coupon Codes for some money off your next shop.

3 Rose Scented Products To Take You Back To Summer

With the days getting shorter and colder, we can't avoid feeling nostalgic about the gone warmer days. However the comforting scent of rose can make you feel a bit closer to summer than winter. My current picks to take me back to summer are:

L'occitane Rose Hand Cream: with shea butter, coconut and sunflower oil, it moisturises without feeling greasy or sticky and the addition of rosa damascena and rosa centifolia flower oils gives it a subtle warm rose scent. 

Pacifica Rose Solid Perfume: this versatile perfume is made with organic soy and coconut wax, and features a blend of bulgarian rose, violet and myrrh. It's easy to apply and I don't mind that the warm scent isn't that long lasting, as I enjoy reapplying it throughout the day, but you could also layer it under other perfumes to create a personalised scent.

Lierac Hydragenist Pink Lip Balm: It has a buttery texture that melts onto the lips and makes them feel very soft and hydrated thanks to the rose wax and shea butter. It has a faint rose smell and leaves a slightly glossy finish that turns into a pink tint on the lips thanks to its pH technology. 

Have you tried any of these rose products?

xo

Crop Top & Trainers

H&M Crop Top // Adidas Stan Smith // Wool Cardigan // H&M Jeans // Fabric Bag

(Similar: Black Cardigan, Floral Bag)

This outfit might look quite similar to one of my recently posted outfits, but hey I was on holiday and that's when you have to get a bit creative and mix and match all the clothes you brought with you in order to have lots of space left in your suitcase to fill it up with gifts, souvenirs, and most importantly: delicacies that you won't find in your new country of residence.

xo

The Inkey List Now Available At Boots

So it's not only Superdrug surprising us with all these new affordable skincare launches (exhibit one and two)- they're also happening at Boots. 

They have released 16 The Inkey List products, divided in 4 categories according to your skin concerns: hydrated skin, younger looking skin, brighter looking skin and clearer skin.

With the slogan "quality ingredients made simple", they have specific hard-working formulations for different needs that won't break the bank. 

Above are the ones I'm most interested in trying: the skin renewing Retinol serum, the plumping Hyaluronic Acid serum, the tone smoothing Vitamin C serum, the unclogging BHA serum and the redness-reducing Snow Mushroom moisturiser. 

Will you be trying The Inkey List products?

xo

New In: September 2019

It was our wedding anniversary last month and Dot got me some heart hoop earrings from Pandora, the Issey Miyake ROSE & ROSE perfume and some flowers. 

From Primark I got a hair scrunchie for just 50p, and a L'oreal Botanicals Coriander Strength Potion from the Boots clearance, which was only £3.

Found a mohair jumper in the H&M sale and I got it for £12 (originally £40), and a stationery set from Typo sale, it was just £3 (I think ha!).

Four our anniversary we got a glass jar and colouring book from my in-laws and the last picture is a couple of free gifts that came with magazines: a benefit mini roller lash mascara and a lixirskin universal emulsion. 

Also last month I got a few skincare items from Superdrug, which I posted about here. 

xo

Super Facialist Retinol+ Anti-Ageing Serum

A few months ago, Dot got me the Super Facialist Retinol+ Anti-Ageing Restoring Serum and I finally have used it enough to be able to write about it.

Thanks to the use of retinol, hyaluronic acid, white lupin seed extract, vitamin E, apricot and white tea extracts in the Super Facialist Retinol+ Serum, the skin regains firmness, elasticity and vitality, by targeting wrinkles, uneven skin tone and lack of radiance. 

Normally, after cleansing, I use just one pump and apply all over my face under my moisturiser at night. After using it continuously for several days in a row over the course of a few weeks I did notice that in the morning my skin looked more even in tone and texture, as well as more plump and felt softer. 

It is not irritating, easy to use and quite affordable compared to high end offerings, so I would recommend it if you are looking to get started on retinol.

Find Super Facialist Retinol+ Anti-Ageing Serum in Boots.

xo

Blue Jeans, White Shirt

Affordable Skincare Brand Me+ Now At Superdrug

Superdrug keeps surprising us with so many new releases - first I saw it a couple of days ago on their Instagram, and last Saturday found the products already in store.

I'm talking about a new brand called Me+, with super affordable skincare products, all priced under £10. 

The collection is divided into groups designed to address different concerns: Moisturise, Pro-Age,  Exfoliate, Refine and Calming.

The products I'm most interested in trying are the Peptide Booster, Niacinamide & Zinc Booster and Lactic Acid (AHA) Booster. Pictured above are also the AHA Fruit Acid Booster and Acacia Collagen Booster. 

Find the Me+ skincare line in Superdrug.

xo

How To Be Pretty: A 1940s Guide For High School Girls

This video was on my "recommended" videos on YouTube and I was curious to see if the tips given in here would be outdated but they were anything but that, they're actually really good general well-being, lifestyle tips and I thought I'd share it here as they are still current. Let me know what you think!

xo

Superdrug's New Affordable Retinol Range Under £15

Recently Superdrug have launched a new Optimum range featuring the anti ageing gold standard skincare ingredient retinol. The range consists of 5 products, including a serum, night cream, eye cream, booster drops,  and day cream. 

Every product is priced under £15, and contains up to 0.4% retinyl palmitate and up to 2% encapsulated retinyl palmitate, plus extra ingredients to help minimise irritation and help restore barrier function such as tulsi and lady's mantle. 

I think that for the price (especially with the current BOGOF and free gift offers) they are worth trying out if you are looking to smooth out skin tone and texture.

Find the new Optimum Retinol Range in Superdrug.

Will you be trying any of these products out?

xo

Black & Beige

H&M Top // Rosegal Straw Bag* // H&M High Waist Jeans // Adidas Stan Smith // Wool Cardigan 

(Similar: Straw Bag, Black Cardigan)

Outfit from when I was visiting my family in Mexico. These jeans are super high waisted and quite flattering, I think. I'd been looking for a pair of super high waisted jeans for a while and these ones fit me really good. 

The cardigan is one that I used to wear, then gave to my mum (apparently, I can't even remember that) and then borrowed as when we went in March it was still a bit cool and needed some extra layers (which I didn't bring) as I thought it would be warmer.

xo

Favourite Dresslily Halloween Outfits + 25% Off Code

Dresslily's Halloween dress collection is here, and above are my picks of their cutest ones. From left to right, top to bottom: 

The first dress has a black long sleeve top, waist cinching bow and wide skirt - it's super classy and flattering. The second dress is another prim and proper dress with a lovely rose and skull print.

The third dress is repeating the skull and rose elements but with a more casual, rocker vibe with the sweetheart neckline and adjustable buckle straps.

If you like more contrasting colours, the fourth dress is for you: with its orange print on purple background you are sure to be the centre of attention. And I couldn't pass this dress up, with the cutest Peter Pan collar and sheer sleeves it is a super feminine design.

My favourite Halloween outfits from DressLlily!

#Halloween #dresslily  @dresslily

Shop here https://bit.ly/2luSx0i with code DLKOL25C (25% OFF for orders over $30)!

Which one is your favourite?

xo

Superdrug Skincare Haul + Free Gift

You know I can't resist a bargain, especially if it involves skincare, which means I had to take advantage of the Superdrug offers going on right now: buy one, get one free on Simple Skincare and also the Naturally Radiant range. 

I stocked up on the old faithful Naturally Radiant Renewing Night Cream (which I have previously reviewed) and also wanted to try out the Simple Protecting Moisture Cream with SPF 30, so I got a couple of those as well. 

And thanks to my indecision (I'd been thinking about getting those Simple moisturisers for the last couple of weeks but kept postponing my purchase) I got rewarded as a new offer came up: buy 3 skincare items and get a free Naturally Radiant Heroes gift set consisting of their Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser and the Glycolic Acid 5% Tonic. 

Get them while they're on offer!

xo

Autumn Wishlist 2019

The new season is only a few days away and I always get excited about the new colour palettes and cosy items dropping in stores. Some items that have caught my eye are:

H&M Chunky Wool Cardigan £50 - The fuchsia shade is a fail safe way to add some brightness into an autumn-winter wardrobe that can get a bit boring with so many greys and beiges. 

Fila Disruptor Heart Trainers £85 - I haven't gotten a pair of white trainers since my adidas Stan Smiths, and these ones with the chunky sole and red hearts could be a nice update.

Topshop Embellished Headband £18.50 - Even if I don't wear them a lot, I do love hair accessories, and the big, bright jewels on this headband look so glamorous yet refined. 

Ashwood Leather Tote Bag £50 - Been getting into a "career change" mood, with a more formal-environment in mind and a professional looking tote bag would help complete any outfit. Plus this one reminds me of the Birking bag, and the burgundy colour is ideal for autumn and winter.

Uniqlo Knitted Skirt £25 - I would really like to incorporate a knitted skirt into my wardrobe, so far these two uniqlo ones are my favourites. It can be dressed up or down and it would make a nice change from just wearing trousers all winter long.

Did any of these pieces catch your eye?

xo

New in: August 2019

Imperial Leather Cherry Bomb Foamburst x Skinny Dip

I’ve been interested in the new shower foam formats that have been popping up all over the shops, and when I saw the name (and new packaging) of the Imperial Leather Cherry Bomb Foamburst I couldn’t resist. The cherry  pattern and pink background looked cute and the thought of a cherry scented shower sounded great.

What I love about this product is that once you get the gel on your hand and start rubbing it, it lathers very nicely and more than quadruples in size, so you don’t need as much product (the bottle states it lasts for 40 showers).

What left me a bit confused was the scent - only when I first used it I realised it also mentioned vanilla, which is in fact the one that steals the show as I barely smelled any cherry blossom in there. Plus the mechanism is hard to work with one hand only, making it a struggle to get the gel out.

On a more positive note, it does what it says of transforming into a creamy lather that leaves skin feeling soft and smooth. And it has an extra use as it not only cleanses but it can also be used for shaving.

Find Imperial Leather Cherry Bomb Foamburst x Skinny Dip in Superdrug and Tesco.

xo

Dr. Pawpaw Peach Lip Balm Watercolor Illustration

A watercolour illustration I made of the Dr. Pawpaw Peach Lip Balm. I've also written a review on this product, which you can find here.

If you like this watercolour design you can purchase stickers and other stationery items on my RB shop.

xo

Rodial Smokey Eye Pen

This duo of Rodial Smokey Eye Pens came for free in - you guessed it- a magazine. Having tried the black liner (along with the lip liner which I didn't like at all) I thought it would be worth it even just for the black liner alone. 

The Rodial Smokey Eye Pens (which are actually pencils) are soft smokey effect eyeliners which are easy to use: just draw along the lash line and gently smudge until you achieve your desired level of smokey-effect. 

I've only used them as eye liners so can't comment on the smokey part, though the pencils are very creamy and glide along the eyelid easily without any pulling of the skin so I don't doubt the blending capability these liners have. 

The colours are very rich: a true black and a reddish brown. The black is a classic for any occasion and perfect for my usual cat-eye liner, though the shade of brown I didn't love so much as I find it doesn't make my eye colour stand out as much as the MUA rich brown liner which I'm afraid is being discontinued. 

Either way for smokey eye or just liner, these pencils are good quality, and the inclusion of castor oil will be helping strengthen and lengthen lashes. 

Find the Rodial Smokey Eye Pens in Space NK and Harvey Nichols.

xo

Flowers In The Garden