Review | Essie "Cocktail Bling"

About two weeks ago Boots sent me a £2 off voucher for any Essie nail polish, as it would be rude to not take up the offer I took one for the team and trotted off down to Boots voucher in hand.
I'm a saint, I know ;)

I ended up choosing Cocktail Bling, which on first glance at the bottle looked like a very light grey. I know this seems quite an odd choice of colour, but the unusual shade really drew me in. I also wanted to lighten up my polish collection as I've really gone all out on the dark wintery shades recently.

When applying, I used two coats of Cocktail Bling, one coat of my favourite Nails Inc. Top Coat and my Rapid Dry Spray. On the first coat I was a little concerned, as the consistency of the polish was really watery! Not what I expect from an Essie polish! However, by the second coat my nails looked smooth and opaque. I'm not entirely sure why the polish was watery to begin with, perhaps because I forgot to shake the bottle beforehand? Either way, on subsequent applications I haven't had any problems at all.

The longevity of this polish is amazing!! I can wear the polish for a week with only tiny chips on my index fingers appearing. I pretty much always get chips on my index fingers straight away though so I never really take that into consideration. The colour of the polish on the nails is much bluer than it looks in the bottle, so you end up with a very pale grey/blue which is really lovely. Quite wintery still but in a much lighter way, which I really enjoy.

I'm actually really glad I chose this polish, there's always so many on display at the Essie stand that I'm happy this one jumped out at me! What's your favourite Essie polish? :)

Aimée
Xxxx

P.S. Just a quick note to say I've added my Social links up on the top right corner of my blog! If you fancied having a gander or following any it'd be much appreciated and make me a very happy Aimée :)

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A Sunday Catch-Up.

Sundays are one of my favourite days; lunch always seems a very long and delicious affair, there's always time to complete to-do lists and with the sun peeking out today it really did feel like Spring was on its way. (I'm dis-regarding the fact that a thunderstorm has started as I type this....)

This week I've been pretty busy, and consequently I haven't posted at all! I have lots of posts in the pipeline, but haven't gotten around to typing them up. I do want to try and post twice a week, so hopefully this won't be too regular an occurrence. :)

So this week was my best friends 22nd Birthday, being limited in cash as I am at the moment I decided to create a 'Home-made treat box' for her to keep on the cheap side! I thought I'd share a few pictures of it and the Birthday cake I made with you now, to tide you over until I've finished writing a beauty related post :)

In the treat box I made Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Powder, Houmous, Button Cookies and Tiny Polaroid Magnets. I did take pictures whilst I was making the magnets and hot chocolate which I'll be writing posts about for the more baking/DIY-minded of you :)

I hope this post gave you some home-made ideas or at least whiled away a few lazy Sunday minutes :) 

Aimée

Xxxx

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2013; A Jar Full of Memories.

If any of you are avid Pinterest users then I'm sure you're familiar with these memory jars, but for those of you who aren't I wanted to share this really cute idea with you :)

Basically, last weekend I was perusing Pinterest for crafty ideas and came across this! The premise is that throughout the year every time something good/exciting/funny happens you write it down and put in the jar. Then on New Years Eve of the same year you can open it and relive your year with memories that otherwise you'd probably have forgotten!

This is such a fun way to remember all the little things in life that make us happy. It's going to be so exciting to read all the little notes! I just hope I have enough space in my jar, I only started mine this week and I've got a little pile already!

Let me know if any of you are doing this project as well and if not I definitely urge you to do it! :)

Aimée
Xxxx

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Dress It Up...

Dress It Up. Its the name of my blog, but what do I actually mean by it? I love getting dolled up, wearing pretty things and generally making quite an effort with clothes. I so wish I could do the 'casual' look, but it just doesn't suit me. I literally look like I've rolled out of bed rather than spending hours to look like I've just rolled out of bed. Therefore my answer, is to wear casual clothes and dress it up with a statement piece so I don't look so plain! See what I did there? ;)

The necklace I bought above was a New Years splurge from Topshop. I really love detailed collars on shirts, so when I saw this beaded beauty in necklace form I knew I had to have it and its been an outfit staple ever since!

 

Be it a plain dress, skirt and top or jeans and jumper combination  I really think the necklace just adds a bit of oomph to the ensemble.Even when I'm wrapped up in my coat (which is a must with this current weather!) I think it looks so cute peeking through. :)

So there we have it, the 'meaning' behind my blog name. I have tried to find a link to the necklace on the topshop website, but I can't find it anywhere. I have seen it recently in store though, if it takes your fancy. :)

I hope the New Year is treating you all well! I'll be back soon with beauty and craft posts!

Aimée 

Xxxx

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Review | Loreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in 505 Wild Purple

The other day when shopping with the best friend I needed some new foundation (review to come soon!) and as there was a Buy One Get One Half Price offer on all Loreal products in Boots I felt I would have been silly to pass it up! Or that's the excuse I'm using anyway.

I settled on a new nail varnish, as I felt I hadn't bought one in a while, (again, thats the excuse I'm using!) and considering its still so wintery I wanted quite a dark deep shade. I ended up with the Colour Riche Nail Polish in 505 Wild Purple. I'm not really sure what's so 'wild' about the colour, but it is a really gorgeous deep purple.

The polish has a slight shimmer to it and actually looks slightly darker on the nails than it does in the bottle. When I applied the first coat I was slightly worried as the texture seemed almost watery and I was concerned that the colour wouldn't be very pigmented, but on the second coat it completely erased my fears and was a really nice deep purple.

When applying the polish I used the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry Spray and my usual Nails Inc.Kensington Caviar Top Coat. This was the first time I'd ever used the rapid dry spray and it really did help to speed up the process and give my nails a smooth shiny finish.

The actual lasting power of this nail polish is amazing! I've had the polish on for a week tomorrow and there's hardly any chipping at all! Definitely still wearable without feeling embarrassed of my nails! I'm not sure whether this is down to the fact that the nail polish is gel based or perhaps the rapid dry spray? Either way I'll let you know when I've established the answer :)

It really is such a lovely wintery colour and it goes on to the nail so easily. The brush seems to be the perfect size to fit your nail without overspilling everywhere. The bottle is slightly on the small side for my liking, but it does mean that it won't dry out before you use it all! So a silver lining there! Have any of you tried any Loreal nail polishes?

Just a little sidenote to add on to the end of this post, one of my very best friends Charlotte has just started her own blog! If you like crafts, music, acting, photography and a bit of life talk then you'll love Sweet Toothed Pretender and I'm not just saying this in a biased way, I genuinely really enjoyed her first post :) So take a look if you fancy :)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Aimée
Xxxx

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Review | Louise Gray for Topshop Mascara

I've always admired Louise Grays make-up collection for Topshop, the products always seem really high quality, used interesting colours and had super pretty packaging! However, until very recently I only actually owned the Make-Up Brushes from the collection which I mentioned in my first blog post here. Most of the line is now discontinued  but the Mascara, Lipstick, Eye Cream Duo, Glitter Pots Duo and Eye Palette are all still available. Although the Mascara is the only item not on sale which makes me think everything else will soon be discontinued too. :(

I am now the lucky owner of said Mascara as one of my best friends Charlotte gave it to me for Christmas! :)! I was super excited to try it and I really haven't been disappointed! I have the mascara in 'There And Black' and it gives a dramatic black finish without needing a million and one coats.

The real bristles on the wand are definitely a big plus for me as I find that they provide a much easier application and ensures that the mascara goes onto the lashes smoothly and evenly without clumping. The bristles also help to add volume to the lashes and separates them evenly.

To show off the full effects, here is my eye without any mascara;

Now with one coat;

And finally with a second coat;

I really like how wide awake the mascara makes my eyes look, but in quite a natural way. The only downside I've found to the mascara is quite a petty issue of mine!

In that every time I screw the mascara wand back onto the tube it has an overspill of product! Whilst obviously a waste of the mascara, it also ruins the pretty packaging so I feel the need to clean it every time! So yes, only a silly issue but my only issue :)

All in all, I reallyy like this mascara so fingers crossed they don't discontinue it soon!! Maybe I'll buy another one to stock up just in case...;)

Have any of you tried anything from the Louise Gray collection?

Aimée
Xxxx

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2012; The Last Few Days.

Happy New Year!!

The last week has been a super busy one for me, with one of my best friends staying with me for New Years, and my boyfriend staying for a whole week! Its been proper fun but, as you can imagine has left me little time to blog! Therefore, as a little disclaimer this post is going to be very picture heavy from here on with my New Years events! I hope you enjoy :)

Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park with my sister, best friend and boyfriend on NYE <3

Pretty Winter Wonderland Lights :)

Beautiful Christmas Lights in Leicester Square :)

Yummy Prezzo Dinner in Trafalgar Square 

Me and my sister Katie messing around :)

One of my Best Friends Charlotte <3

My SUPER YUM pudding! 

NYE Fireworks in London from Waterloo Bridge <3

New Years Day Parade in Trafalgar Square :)

The Parade :)

Charlotte, my Boyfriend Craig and I at the Parade <3

Craig & Me <3

Wicked the Musical!! For the third time...oops!

Mine, Craig's and my best friend Joe's YUMMY Paella from a street market in Greenwich!

Nelsons Ship next to the Greenwich Maritime Museum :)

I've had an amazing end to what has been a really great year for me! I turned 21, completed two dissertations, my boyfriend took me away to Edinburgh for the weekend, I graduated University, I visited lots of friends in different parts of the UK, saw lots of musicals and plays, shopped perhaps a bit too much, got a placement at AMG and begun this little blog! All in all, its been brilliant and I can't wait for 2013 to be even better :)

I have made a few little New Years resolutions, which I'm specifically writing on here so they hopefully stick in my mind more! I never usually make them, but hopefully this is the year they work! 

First off; I want to be more motivated. I mean this in regards to everything, health, exercise and just general life. I feel like I waste a lot of time just doing 'nothing' on my laptop when I could be much more productive with my time! 

Secondly, the age old; lose weight! Not masses, but enough to make me more confident in my appearance. This ties in with the above resolution though, and being more motivated in exercising!

And finally; to drink more water! I hardly drink anything throughout the day, and I really just need to get my six/eight glasses in! 

Thank you so much to all my followers, you really have made the end of my year that much better! :) I hope you've all had a wonderful year! What New Years Resolutions have you made? :)

Aimée

Xxxx

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