My Nail Polish collection!

Here is my collection as of February 2014. I have actually bought about 30 polishes since I took this photo (I have a problem!)

Polishes

I now have well over 200 polishes; most of which have been collected since I grew my nails, as before that I rarely had nails to paint. I am making up for lost time :)

My collection mostly comprises of Nails Inc and Barry M.

My other favourite polish brands include China Glaze, OPI and A-England, and I also own quite a few Ciaté, Rimmel amd Avon polishes too.

My polish preference

As you can probably tell, I mostly like bright, rich colours (pinks, purples, reds) and darker colours (greys, blacks, blues and greens). I like both glittery and plain polish.

I have a few nude shades but I very rarely wear them, I'm very pale so they just don't suit me unless I'm wearing fake tan. I am also not a fan of metallic polishes like silver and gold, as well as special effect polishes like magnetic, crackle and matte.

Nail essentials

I swear by OPI Nail Envy as a base coat and Seche Vite top coat, as well as Seche Restore to fix any polishes that have gone gloopy. I also use Nails Inc nail files and buffers. I mostly use Sally Hansen polish remover but I'm not fussy as long as it does the job!

If you have any questions about my collection or swatch requests let me know :)

Love, Sarah NailsfromNothing xx

Love Me Beauty box March 2014

This is my review of the March 2014 Love Me Beauty box.

Here are the three menu options available in the boutique this month:

All boxes this month include 6 items; The Vintage Cosmetic Company 'Gracie' false lashes, Blanx Whitening toothpaste, Quintessentially English bath salts, A Deep Steep stick, a Nip & Fab item and a product from the Murad skincare range.

This month I chose menu one because the other two menus contained items that I probably wouldn't use. 

This box suited me so much better!

My box :)

Items:

Nip+Fab CC Eye Fix (2ml full size)

This is an under-eye concealer in twisty-pen form. This refreshing eye cream and concealer in one contains oat extract and light diffusing pigments to help brighten and lift the appearance of the eye area. 

I have only swatched this on my hand so far and found the formula quite thin, but the shade looks just right so hopefully it'll work well. 

RRP £6

Quintessentially English Bath Salts in ‘English Rose’ (50g sample)

I haven't tried this yet as I don't often have baths (I prefer showers) but I am thinking about giving this as a gift as it looks and smells lovely.

RRP £4.25 (100g)

Murad Sheer Lustre Day Moisturiser SPF15 (7.5ml sample)

Using this daily moisturiser will deeply hydrate your skin while powerfully protecting against harmful UV rays, minimising lines and provide a natural dewy glow.

Murad products are pretty expensive so thus far, apart from samples in beauty boxes, I have not purchased any Murad skincare. This feels like most other moisturisers at the moment but, as with most skin care, it can take days or even weeks of use to see results. It's nice to get a sample of an expensive product as they are usually out of my budget.

RRP £64 (50ml)

Deep Steep Moisture Stick in ‘Lavender Chamomile’ (15ml full size)

Formulated to melt on contact with the heat from your skin, the Moisture Stick glides on easily and hydrates even the driest of skin.
Try the Moisture Stick on chapped hands, lips, cuticles, heels or elbows.

* No Parabens * No Sodium Lauryl Sulfate * No Mineral Oil
* No Artificial Fragrances * No Chemical Preservatives
* Gluten Free * Not Tested On Animals * Vegan

This smells quite strongly of Lavender and it really does melt on application. I have been using this on my lips and it lasts quite a while. It made my chapped lips so much better! I just wish this was a different scent other than lavender (menu 2 had a minty one!) but still, I love it anyway. It's quite big, much bigger than a lip balm, and I think it's well worth the price. I will definitely purchase more from this range.

RRP £4.95

BlanX White Shock Toothpaste (15ml sample)

BlanX White Shock is the only toothpaste in the world to contain ActiluX, a non-abrasive, peroxide free formula that whitens teeth all day long. It remains active throughout the day, by reacting to light to whiten your teeth naturally. The more you smile, the whiter your teeth will be!

I have seen a lot of advertising for this product lately. I haven't tried it yet but I once I have used it for a few days I will report back if I get noticeable results. To be honest I don't expect much from whitening toothpastes but I hope I'm pleasantly surprised!

RRP £7.50 (50ml)

The Vintage Cosmetic Company ‘Gracie’ False Lashes

I love false lashes! These are a bit sparse for me (I prefer slightly fuller lashes) but I will probably use these layered with another pair. Lovely packaging! They match my tweezers from this month's YouBeauty box!

RRP £6

Box price = £12.95 inc P&P

Total box value = approx £30.85 (based on price per ml)

Verdict:

A box full of useful items. Nothing particularly 'wow!' about this box for me as it's all stuff that I already have from other brands.

I am quite fond of the Deep Steep moisture stick though, and I'm going to buy another. I have my eye on the Vanilla & Brown Sugar one :)

At £12.95, this box costs the same as Birchbox and Glossybox (which I also subscribe to).

I like this box because I can see exactly what I'm going to receive before I pay - therefore I can always pause my subscription if none of the boxes take my fancy that month.

What do you think of this month's Love Me Beauty box?

Love, Sarah NailsfromNothing xx

YouBeauty Discovery Box March 2014

Here is my review of the March 2014 YouBeauty box...

March 2014 box shortlist

First of all, I'm going to start by saying that this is my favourite box so far. I have loved every box but this one is just fabulous!

My box :)

Chosen items

BeautyLab Glycowash 100ml

A skin refining oil free 5% glycolic foaming gel with triggered release technology that works longer and deeper to remove impurities, unclogging pores refining and cleansing whilst helping to prevent future break-outs. Contains pomegranates enzymes, glycolic and salicylic acid infused microspheres, soothing willow bark and lavender.

RRP £16 (£32 for 200ml)

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter 90ml + Muslin face cloth

Solid but melts when you touch it, this cleansing butter has a similar consistency to coconut oil. An indulgent make-up remover for the whole face. It gently and efficiently melts away make-up and impurities, leaving skin feeling clean, refreshed and pampered. Suitable for sensitive skin. Smells lovely and glides on like a dream. Only downside is that it isn't so good at removing waterproof mascara.

RRP £12

Extras

The Vintage Costmetic Company floral tweezers

There were three possible extras from The Vintage Cosmetic Company in this YouBeauty box - tweezers, false eyelashes or toe separators. I got the tweezers which are lovely and in beautiful packaging! Unfortunately I got the exact same pair (unboxed) in January's Glossybox, and a similar pair in my YouBeauty advent calendar too so I am planning to give this as a gift. Still, a great free extra! I'm glad I didn't get the lashes as I got the same pair in another beauty box this month and the toe separators wouldn't have been used.

RRP £8

Dragonfly Tea Organic teabags

2x Organic teabags - Moonlight Jasmine green tea and Swirling Mist white tea.

I'm not a fan of flavoured tea but again this is a lovely free extra. I will gift them to someone that will use and enjoy them!

RRP 10p each (£1.89 for 20)

Value for money?

Box cost: £6.95

Total box value: £36.20

Verdict

I am made up with this box. After recently falling in love with Alpha H Liquid Gold (glycolic acid treatment - review coming up) I was excited to see a cleanser containing the magic ingredient! This is something I would have happily bought at full price if I'd known about it so thank you YouBeauty for saving me money!

The Body Shop cleansing butter went out of stock on the shortlist after a couple of days so it was a popular items and I'm not surprised. The reviews on the Body Shop website say it all, and it's full-sized! I'm in love.

Love, Sarah NailsfromNothing xx