NOTD Rimmel Urban Purple

First things first, the shade name annoys me.  Because this, quite simply, isn't purple.  It's slightly more purple toned than it appears in these pictures, admittedly, but of course the camera had a difficult time catching that what with purple being a beauty blogger's nightmare to photograph.

Urban Purple is a safe shade though.  A rich, burgundy red cream that is pretty opaque in one coat and dries mega quickly.  Oh and it has that thick brush which is great when you have huge wide nails like me.  This is just one coat and for that reason it's one of my favourites when you need to do your nails really quickly and head out.  That's what I did before taking this pictures which is why application is a little messier than usual. 

It's difficult to get excited about a shade like this and I don't which is why I've had it for a year or more and not used it in a NOTD post but named it as one of my favourites shortly after starting the blog.  It gets loads of use but is a pretty dull shade, is that weird? 

Do you have a go to shade regardless of the lack of excitement?

Monday's Good Stuff

Hello lovelies.  I hope you're all having a good Monday, especially those in England and Wales because it's...

1) Bank Holiday! I love Bank Holidays, even though I don't have much on this weekend.  I've slept lots, been shopping and worked too.  Thankfully I've just had 2 evenings shifts to do and I've not had the energy for big nights out, so that's worked out nicely.  I bought quite a few nice things today so I'll do a haul post this week.

2)  Speaking of work I'm so glad that my manic 2 weeks is over.  Working for my Dad, at the shop and house sitting and looking after my friend was a lot.  I'm glad I could help everyone out but it left me pretty exhausted and I'm glad to be back home, in my own bed now.

3)  I spent yesterday sorting things out in my room and having a big clear out in my wardrobe.  While I was at it, I did the summer/autumn clothes swap so I expect summer to start anytime now I don't have my dresses to hand!  I did it so that I could see what I need, where the gaps are and what I already have.  I'd completely forgotten a few blouses from last year that are still stunning.  There are so many similar ones in the shops this year so I'm glad I didn't go shopping without checking out what I've already got.

4)  You may have seen my very excited tweets but I will be going on holiday to Sharm el Sheikh with my family next Easter! Woo hoo!  I'm helping my Mum look for a hotel at the moment so if you've been and loved where you stayed then comment below please.

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5)  And finally, because it's sometimes the little things, I'm fully, totally, 100% head over heels in love with my bed.  There's nothing better than getting back into your own bed after a few nights away.  <3

What did you spend the Bank Holiday doing?

A Little Yankee Haul

Regular readers of Primp and Preen will already know of my love of Yankee Candles.  Whilst I might dabble with other makes occasionally, Yankees are definitely my favourites.  I'm yet to come across any candles that burn for so long with such strong (and gorgeous) fragrances.

I was in our local Co-op yesterday and saw that various summer scents were reduced by 30% so who was I to refuse?

This Island Spa medium jar was reduced to £10.80.  I love Island Spa, it smells like holidays and cocktails so I'm buring this as I type to make the most of the very last of the summer.

The only other jars weren't particularly appealing so I picked up various samplers for the reduced price of £1.12 each.  I have had Farmer's Market and Water Garden in the past and loved them but Island Guava and Fruit Salad are both new to me.  I also bought Orchard Pear but gave that to my brother who also loves Yankee Candles.  They're not just for girls! 

As soon as I get through these beauts, I'll be buying up the Autumn fragrances and also a few Christmas ones too.  Top of the list will be Cranberry Chutney, Home Sweet Home, Welcome Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Mulled Wine, Sparkling Snow, Sparkling Cinammon and Macintosh.  It's a pretty long list, I know but I tend to buy samplers that burn for approximately 15 hours or the small jars that burn for something in the region of 25-40 hours without costing the earth.  And I love to have the whole house smelling of warm, welcoming scents like these through to the Autumn and in the run up to Christmas.

Last year I got a great festive set with 3 small jars candles that worked out as buying 2 and getting 1 free so I'll be looking out for something similar this year.

Are you a fellow Yankee fan?  What do you have on the go at the moment?  And what are your favourites for autumn?

Hello!

Hey there my neglected blog lovelies. 

I am sitting at my Dad's garage, bored because it's really quiet and I wanted to do a quick post on what's on my mind at the moment - treating myself!

I've worked so much over the last couple of weeks and have the perfect reason to treat myself to something lovely/pretty/fab as a result.  After all, Dad always said that working this hard is like earning double because you don't have any chance to spend it and that is so true.

So these are a few of the things that I'm considering.  As I'm being much more organised and disciplined with my money at the moment (and paying off pesky credit card bills from way back when) I will be good and only treat myself to one of these things, as much fun as it would be to splurge and get them all!

My nails are in desperate need of some TLC so a manicure would be indulgent yet practical. 

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Speaking of indulgence, I would do pretty much anything for a massage.  In fact I can feel myself relaxing at the thought of it.

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My wardrobe is in desperate need of some updating so I have my eye on a few items, mainly from Warehouse and Oasis who are excelling this A/W.

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To be honest 90% of what Warehouse has in stock at the moment is just stunning, but this is my absolute favourite item.  I love the rusty shades but can't usually wear these close to my face as they drain me.  However as the blouse has other shades which break it up, this looks great on.  Yes!

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It's fair to say these trousers are very different from my usual choice in trousers.  I don't remember the last time I wore anything other than leggings or skinny jeans but that will change this autumn as I decree it the season of my wardrobe revamp.

I really should make sure that I either buy something useful or treat myself to a little pamper.  I always feel guilty buying clothes because of the cost but yet I'll happily spend £30 in Boots on things I don't really need. 

What's your favourite way to treat yourself?  And what are you looking forward to buying this Autumn?





Guest Posting at A Beauty Junkie in London

Hi guys.  I just wanted to let you know that I'm guesting over at A Beauty Junkie in London today so pop over to take a look at the FOTD I've been rocking for many days now.

Given the crappy grey weather, I've been using products that give me a summery glow and make me feel great.  The weather may think it's Autumn already but I'm holding onto the last of summer.

Make sure you go take a look!

Monday's Good Stuff

Hello again my little lovelies.  Thanks for stopping by!  It appears to be Monday again, or at least I think it is.  I've worked every day for the last week and I'm not entirely sure of the day most of the time because they all feel the same.  Anyway, working on the assumption that it is indeed Monday...

1)  I love getting lots of shifts at work.  Lots of shifts equal lots of money. Awesome.  It is the reason that I've been a bit absent on here though and I hope at least some of you have missed my posts :) I've got lots of things I want to post about though so hopefully I'll get the chance to sit down with the laptop soon. 

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2)  I'm currently house and kitten sitting for my friend.  I'm loving it- Harry is adorable, as many of you will have seen on Twitter.  He's a cheeky little thing but we're getting on really well.  I don't know the faintest thing about cats, I've never had pets you see, but I totally love looking after him, especially the way he settles down to watch Gossip Girl with me. The cat has good taste.

3)  I went to see The Inbetweeners Movie on Saturday and really enjoyed it.  I thought it lulled in places because it obviously couldn't be like the laugh a minutes TV programme for 90 minutes but it was great nonetheless.  Will's dancing got the biggest laugh from me.

4)  Sometimes it's the little things.  Lasgane, garlic bread, wine and chocolate ice cream with raspberries for my dinner last night.  Truly amazing.

 

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5)  And sometimes it's the nail polish related things.  I popped in to Sally's yesterday to pick up a new hairbrush and I somehow managed to buy OPI Ink.  I can't actually explain how much I love it.  I'm all excited just writing this, how stupid!  But that's the effect of pretty things on us, right?  I will of course debut it in a NOTD soon but to be fair my nails are even worse than usual so some TLC is required first.

Have you tried Ink?  And what's your favourite comfort food?  Spill!

My Week So Far

My week so far has required a lot of this.

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I have a load of posts that I want to write but no time to do them at the moment so please bear with me!

I totally agree with this by the way.

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And this was my favourite of the coffee related pictures I found whilst searching.

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Back soon!

Current Conditioners

It is completely my fault that my hair is looking a little lacklustre at the moment.  It needs a trim and also, I'm the first to admit that I use more heat on it than is ideal.  The problem is that my thick hair takes 4 or so hours to dry naturally so this very rarely happens as I generally want to look presentable before I leave the house.

So I rely pretty heavily on conditioners to give me sleek, shiny hair and usually have a fair few on the go at one time.  These are products that I have in the shower at the moment. 

I'm still using the VO5 Gloss Me Smoothly* conditioner, which I really still like as a conditioner but as much hair is in need or a haircut, it's not as intensive as I need every day.  I rotate this along with the other products tio make sure it does get enough moisture and probably use this every couple of washes.

I reviewed Dove Intensive Repair Express Treatment Conditioner in April and am now onto my second tube of the stuff.  Which is a good sign in itself.  This is an inbetween sort of conditioner for me; it's not intensive enough to use as a weekly treatment when my hair's dry so I use it more regularly.  It's lovely and silky and I love that it's easy to get hold of as opposed to...

TIGI Love, Peace & The Planet Eco Awesome Cranberry Orange Mint Moisturizing Conditioner (longest product name ever?).  I picked this up from TKMaxx the other day for £4.00 and whilst I love the smell (the mint comes through pretty strongly but the fruitiness is a great combination with it) it's not as effective as the Dove treatment.  I'm guessing from the amount that they had in TKMaxx that it's been discontinued so it's probably a good thing that I haven't fallen in love with it.  I'm planning on mixing this and Gloss Me Smoothly together for a richer treatment.

My love for Lee Stafford's Hair Growth Treatment is well known around these parts and I'm still using it.  I need to stock up again as this is my last pot and it's halfway used up now *gulp*.  I've just had a look on the Boots website and seen that there's a 3 for £12 offer on at the moment which is a saving of £11.97 when you buy 3 of these as I do.  I must stock up soon!  Ooh and thinking about it, that post I've linked to is well over a year ago now.  Although I haven't been using this every wash since then (far too skint at times) it still continues to leave my hair looking lovely and continues to grow at a better rate than it ever used to.  I'll have to do an updated one soon.

And I still haven't found a better intensive treatment than VO5's Treat Me Right*.  I leave this on when I'm in the bath for ages and it knocks the socks off other conditioners.  I use it all the time and I'm still only halfway through the pot, I seriously think it might last forever. 

Writing this post has really made me want to go looking for other conditioners though.  What do you swear by?  What's your HG conditioner?

Products marked with a * were PR samples. As always, I'm 100% honest.

Monday's Good Stuff

Seriously, where do the weeks go?!  I swear it's been 7 minutes since I last posted MGS, not 7 days.  Does anyone else feel like this or is it just me hmm?

Anyway, enough rambling.  Onto the good stuff.

1)  I am really, really enjoying work.  I work shifts a week and so far all of those have been evenings.  I really like closing up- there's lots of jobs to do and the shifts go really quickly.  I just like having some money for myself again, to be able to pop out and buy a couple of pretty things and to go for a drink and not have to ask my parents for the cash.  It's great :)

2)  Speaking of going out and about, I've got so many plans this week!  I'm seeing my lovely friend Marianne for a drink and a Chinese tonight and my brother's coming too.  On Wednesday I'm going for a drink with Sarah from Knickers and Nail Polish (by the way, she has a great blog and not nearly enough followers so pop over there sharpish!) and then on Thursday I'm seeing my friend Denise for a drink.  Can you tell I'm still trying to keep my mind occupied? 
3)  Onto more superficial things again my lovelies- I've spent hours this weekend looking online for inspiration for my bedroom makeover.  I've currently got loads of ideas but they're all over the place.  I'll probably do an interiors inspiration post when the ideas become a little more streamlined, but for now I'm just excited to be changing things up here.

4)  This has just occured to me because I'm watching it now, but I am seriously obsessed by the new TV channel Really.  I've watched so much of it the last week or so.  It's got so many programmes that I've loved in the past like Spendaholics, The Bank of Mum and Dad, The House of Tiny Tearaways and What Not To Wear and I've finally got to watch The Rachel Zoe Project too- I die!  (If you watch it, you'll know what I mean!)  It's on Freeview channel 20, Sky 248 and Virgin 267 is you haven't seen it yet.

Oh and I've changed my laptop background to this, which makes me smile whenever I see it.  Words to (try and) live by.

Red Magazine with free Balance Me Body Wash

I love Red Magazine.  It is, without a doubt, my favourite magazine and the one that I read every month without fail.  I don't like nasty celebrity gossip and nonsense stories so I love the stories in Red.  They're positive, uplifting and have helped me through some difficult times.  It always seems to have the answer!

I'm still making my way through the September issue but I just had to let you know how fabulous the free Balance Me Body Wash is. 

I picked up the Rose Otto scent (which has won a Red Best of Beauty Award in 2009) and I am beyond impressed.  This isn't an old woman rose scented shower gel.  The body wash contains 3 types of rose, along with clary sage, ylang ylang and bergamot so it's a deeper, more exotic scent.  The 125ml will last for ages and is worth £8 so what are you waiting for?  Get to the shops now!

*I bought Red myself and am not affiliated with Red or Balance Me*

NOTD Orly VIP

I love Orly VIP.  Almost as much as I love Models Own Juicy Jules.  This pink glitter is just fabulous, and although I love wearing it on its own, I thought I'd layer it over other nail polishes to see whether I had any other options.

Oh by the way- please try to ignore the state of my cuticles.  I'm giving them some TLC at the moment as they have been much neglected.

Just 3 coats of VIP

2 coats of VIP over 2 coats of Ciate Sugar Mumma

2 coats of VIP over 2 coats of 17 Parma Violet

2 coats of VIP over 2 coats of Rimmel Purple Reign

2 coats of VIP over Natural Collection Hibiscus- I really must do a NOTD with it soon.

I only did the multi coloured thing to see how VIP looked with various shades but I actually really liked this!  I'd redo the order if I did it again and create an ombre effect by starting with Sugar Mumma, then VIP on its own, followed by Parma Violet and Hibiscus and finishing with Purple Reign.  Yes it's a bit blingy but I really enjoyed wearing it and got a lot of compliments.

But, what say you?  Fun or offensive?

24 Hour Body with TRESemme

Are you bored of the TRESemme posts yet?  I hope not because here comes another one!

I have been testing out some of the 24 Hour Body products to see that came in my goodie bag- the 24 Hour Body Shampoo, Conditioner, Blow Dry Lotion and Amplifying Mousse.  

I really loved the Shampoo and Conditioner and could feel the volume effect before I even dried by hair.  My already thick hair felt boosted but not heavy with product and as always, I love the smell of them.  At around £4 for 500ml of each product, they are great value and I will be buying full sizes after I've used up other products in my stash.

The Blow Dry Lotion was my next step.  Admittedly it is difficult to tell whether this had any impact on my barnet, given that the mousse and shampoo and conditioner were probably doing most of the work.  I suppose I could have used all the products individually to test their effectiveness but I don't have the patience for that.  I don't rate this any more or less than any other product I've used for the purpose though and (surprise, surprise) I love the way it smells.  A full sized 250ml bottle sells for around £5.50.

Finally I put the Amplifying Mousse to the test.  The instructions recommend you use 2 or 3 applications of the mousse and work it all the way through your hair.  I usually only use mousse on my roots for a volume boost but I followed the instructions for the purposes of research!  Luckily this didn't make my hair feel heavy or weighed down.  The combined efffects of the shampoo, conditioner, blow dry spray and mousse did seem to give my hair a bit of oomph.  My blow drying skills leave a lot to be desired and my hair needs a trim but this was the effect.

There's definitely more volume around the roots than usual and my hair was left lovely and shiny too! Bonus.

I can't comment on the 24 Hour properties though.  My hair is always an absolute state in the morning and certainly looked nothing like this after I slept on it.  Perhaps if you don't roll around like a lunatic in the night you might retain some of the volume though.

I think it was the mousse that had the most effect (but I said above, difficult to tell).  The mousse sells for around £6.39 for 225ml and will definitely be a staple in my product drawer.  I'm really looking forward to trying this with a curly style and seeing how well it holds curls. 

What do you use for volume?  Have you tried the TRESemme 24 Hour Body collection?

My HoliDAY

If you saw my excited Tweets on Monday you will have seen how much I enjoyed my HoliDAY (that's a 1 day holiday) to Woodhall Spa with my brother.  We took the opportunity to head off for a night of camping and had a great time.

The funniest little (being the operative word) shoe shop.

I totally loved the Kinema in the Woods.  I don't know if I can go back to going the generic Odeon now.

I mean look how old school it is inside, with painted walls.

Man's work.

Burgers for dinner.

Not the most flattering picture of me!

And BBQed bacon baps for breakfast! The BBQ was all we took with us, and everything is great BBQed.

 I may have been camping but I still had magazines and glittery nails! (NOTD post coming soon)

I had a great time, it was just what I needed, lots of fresh air, time to chat with my brother and food too.  Unfortunately it was too cold to swim in the outdoor pool so we'll have to go back soon.  What a shame!

I've also decided that HoliDAY will become an annual thing so I'm already thinking about where we can go next year to fit in as much holiday as possible into 24 hours.  Time to put my thinking cap on!

Monday's Good Stuff

Another week has gone by!  I can't believe how quickly the summer holidays are going so far.  We're already a third of the way through them which just seems crazy.  Anyway, I've been making the most of them, especially the last week, so this post is going to write itself this week.

1)  My brother is home for a few weeks at the moment and I seriously love having him around.  He's a great guy to have around and we always have such a laugh.  Most of those laughs involve us watching silly You Tube videos or people falling over You've Been Framed style and laughing until we cry.  Or, as happened on Friday, until tea streamed out of my nose.  Good times!

2)  He's also a really good influence and yesterday I started exercising again for the first time since the break up.  It felt great- I ran for longer than I've ever run before and it was all down to his encouragement.  And after that, we did some core exercises in the garden.

I'll be in great shape in no time!

3)  And one final good thing that includes my brother, before you get sick of the mention of him, we're off camping today!  We've packed up and are heading to Woodhall Spa for a day and night away.  I don't have enough time what with working at the shopand for my Dad to get more than a night away but rather than feel gloomy about it, we're just taking the chance that we have to do something different.

We're staying at Woodhall Country Park, will be popping for a swim in the outside pool, catching a movie at the cute cinema and scoffing ice cream in the old fashioned ice cream parlour as you read this.  Great day huh?

4)  I had such a good time seeing my gorgeous friend Marianne for a yummy Chinese on Thursday and then I popped over to Derby on Friday to have a much needed catch up with the most fabulous couple I know, Lucy and Olly.  It was a great night- pub dinner, lots of pink wine, a lot of chat and I also got to watch the first 6 episodes of Series 4 of Sex and the City.  I haven't seen those in years as I lost the disc so thanks Lucy :) 

5)  After posting about my growing nail polish collection I've been totally incapable of choosing one to wear!  It's getting silly now!  I'd forgotten so many of them that I haven't managed to choose a shade and actually paint my nails all week.  Oops!

So how are you this Monday?  How was your weekend?

Don't forget to pop over and Like the Primp and Preen Facebook page by the way.  I will be running the odd Facebook only competition and you have to be in it to win it!

TRESemme Ultimate Hold Hairspray & Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo Reviews

More TRESemme reviews for you lovelies today and I'm happy to say, I'm impressed again!

First up, the Ultimate Hold Platinum Shine Hairspray.

I've used this daily since I got it in my goodie bag.  It smells delicious, makes me hair really shiny, holds brilliantly and comes out in a really fine mist so it doesn't leave your hair looking flat and crispy.  Because it's so fine, it also brushes out really easily when you want to change style.

The 500ml bottle has a huge nozzle and disperses the spray really well.  For all of these reasons, this hairspray is the only one I've been reaching for- the others are going to get chucked away.  Great product and £4.79 for 500ml is more than reasonable.

I've only just got round to trying the dry shampoo in the last day or so.  As I'm not out first thing in the morning these days, I don't have the same need for the stuff- I actually have time to wash my hair!

The Instant Refresh Volumising Dry Shampoo smells as delicious as the hairspray, which I immediately approved of.  I much prefer it to the Batiste fragrances that I've tried in the past.  Also, unlike Batiste, it isn't a dusty white colour.  In fact it is completely colourless which makes it much easier to use when you're in a rush, and let's face it, that tends to be when we reach for dry shampoo!

I didn't notice any volumising effect but that could be because the product is formulated for fine hair and mine is pretty darn thick.  I really rate it anyway, even though, at £4.38 for 200ml, it's a little more expensive than Batiste which I generally pick up for about £2, but worth it to avoid the old lady, white roots nonsense.

Hurrah for fab haircare products that deliver results!

*Both products are PR samples. As always, my reviews are 100% honest*

My Nail Polish Collection

Get yourself a cuppa girls, this may take a while.  Not because I have a huge collection (I have 93 polishes at the moment after picking up a few new ones this week) but because there are lots of pictures and I tend to ramble.  But I don't know why I'm telling you that- you're the ones who read my ramblings!

Nails Inc reds- (L-R) Victoria, Selfridges First Floor, Aspen, Unknown-old and lost label, Hampstead Heath, Diet Coke Milan

Nails Inc pinks and purples- Diet Coke New York, China Town, Shoreditch, Diet Coke Paris, Kings Road

Nails Inc blues- Belgrave Place, The Serpentine

Nails Inc neutrals- Berkeley Square, The Thames, Belgravia, Diet Coke London, Elizabeth Street, Whitechapel

Nails Inc miniatures- Henrietta Street, Saville Row, Union Street, Monmouth Street, The Hurlingham, Candy Street, Stables Market, Bruton Street

Leighton Denny miniatures- Rebel, Vamp, Provocative

Orly- VIP

Natural Collection- Cosmic Crush, Black Cherry, Burgundy, Hibiscus, Antique Coral

Ciate- Sugar Mumma, Dangerous Affair

Butter London- British Racing Green, Scoundrel

Inglot- 346, 179, 319

Barry M- Nail Effects Black, Dusky Mauve

China Glaze- Ruby Pumps, Evening Seduction

Essie- Fifth Avenue, Mod Squad, Fishnet Stockings

MUA- Shades 1, 9, 3, 16, 4



Models Own- Top Turquoise, Juicy Jules

Accessorize- Goddess

Revlon- Blue Lagoon, Minted, Pretty in Papaya

Sleek- Poison Ivy

GOSH- Golden Brown

No7- Totally Teal, Night Silver, Betty Blues, Vivid Violet, Spun Sugar, Queenie, Beanie, Poolside Blue, Cherry Tang

Rimmel- Azure, Blue Me Away, Purple Reign, Coralicious, Urban Purple

Sephora by OPI- BYOBoy

OPI- Dutch Tulips, Midnight in Moscow

Sinful Colors- What's Your Name, San Francisco, Love Nails, Dream On

17- Sphinx, Exquisite, Peacock, Knockout Red, Sherbet Lemon, Parma Violet, Coral Pop

Sally Hansen- Fairy Teal

Nina Ultra Pro- Royal Purple

Are you still reading?  Well done if you are!  I wanted to put names to them all in case there's anything which piques your interest.  I'm quite disturbed at how many of these I know the names for- I didn't have to check half of them! 

To some people this will be a teeny collection and to some it will look hugely excessive.  I don't think it's really that many by the way.  I can't help see the "gaps"- like I have 2 OPIs and lust after dozens of them.  to be fair I could say the same about Barry M, Models Own, Sally Hansen and China Glaze to name a few ranges.  There are still dozens, if not hundreds (!) of polishes that I'd like to get my hands on so my storeage will have to improve.  They currently live in a basket and it's a huge pain in the ass to find what I'm loooking for.

Writing this post has realllllly made me want to paint my nails but I've got to rush out now.  I think I'll have a hard time choosing which one to use tomorrow though, now that I've reminded myself of how many pretty shades I have.

I haven't used loads of those yet and probably half of them are yet to be featured in a NOTD post so if you have any requests, let me know!  I'll gladly swatch them for you lovelies :)