An Easter Delight: Nails Inc in Bruton Street and Jermyn Street

Illustration by Rose Sturdy

Easter is nearly here, hurrah! And the celebrations don't stop with the yummy chocolate eggs... Pop some Easter inspiration into your talons too.

A few coats of this dusky pink nail paint, 'Bruton Street' by Nails Inc, with the odd nail coated in a gorgeous layer of 'Jermyn Street' - a soft chocolatey taupe, will leave your fingertips a sweet delight. The finished effect totally reminds me of cute little chocolate mini eggs with their delicate pastel shells. 

Nails Inc London in Jermyn Street and Bruton Street, £11 each

I am completely in love with Nails Inc right now. So quintessentially British, the shades are unique and oh so sophisticated. Fast drying, glossy and smooth. Nail perfection. 

Happy Easter you gorgeous little bunnies xxx

Clarins Complete Age Control Double Serum: Review

Clarins Extra-Firming New Double Serum, £55 

Okay, so I'm not exactly propping up my wrinkles with a broom stick just yet, but yes, I've decided to start using age control products. The early bird catches the hot, hunky worm, as they (may or may not) say.

Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate has a fairly hefty price tag at £55 for 30ml, but I've been using it for one full week so far (massaging a pea sized amount onto my face and neck area morning and night) and I feel as though my skin is looking better all round. It looks healthier, no blemishes as yet, and the dreaded blackheads which pepper my nose seem to be smaller than before... I'd pay £55 a month to get rid of them alone!

However, the real beauty of a serum is the long-term effect. A serum penetrates where mere moisturisers cannot, hence why you apply the serum first. You are targeting the deeper layers of skin, which will one day rise to the surface, and hopefully look ruddy marvellous when they do. So with this little nugget of beauty knowledge in mind, I am going to keep using the Clarins Double Serum (which, FYI, smells lovely, absorbs fast and is great for slightly dry skin) and will update this post after a few months... If you see someone who looks suspiciously like me, but a few years younger, then please do say hello!

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BlanX White Shock New Whitening Toothpaste with LED light

BlanX White Shock New Whitening Toothpaste with LED light, £7.49

Easily pleased perhaps, but how cool is this?  A screw on LED light for your toothpaste vessel, who would have thought it?! I've been trialling this nifty little contraption for one week so far, and I'm rather pleased with the results. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blinding people in the street with my pearly whites, but my teeth do look slightly brighter.

My teeth felt lovely, fresh and clean after use. For £7.49 it's worth a try, even just to satisfy the inner geek. Who doesn't love a sci-fi blue hue when brushing those tushy pegs!?

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Dita Von Teese Golden Vintage Eyelights for ArtDeco

New Dita Von Teese Golden Vintage Eyelight in Menage à Trois, £25, pictured with Diya Von Teese Golden Vintage Blusher in Enravish, £25, by ArtDeco

This ornate palette by Dita Von Teese for ArtDeco is a touch of vintage glamour for any make up collection. The packaging is cute and retro, not quite as expensive looking as other shadow palettes of this price range due to the fact it's made from plastic, but it's nice and light if you're often on the go.

The shadow itself is a really fabulous trio of dusky pinks with a deep mocha, a glamorous and softer alternative to charcoal. The shadow is fine and smooth, with a heavy shimmer. Definitely one for super glam evenings. I love how the tones compliment blue eyes, so I tried it out on my dear friend Anna...

Get the look:

1. Apply a base primer to the eyelids to minimise shadow stray. I used ArtDeco eyeshadow base, £8, which is creamy and neutral. 

2. Using a narrow eyeshadow brush, apply the darkest tone to the outer edge of the eyelid, sweeping lightly inwards across the crease

3. Apply the deeper pink shade onto the mid section of the eyelid, blending into the mocha shadow

4. Use the lightest shadow to the blend everything together seamlessly with a soft shadow blending brush

5. Use the lightest shadow to highlight the brow bone beneath the brows

6. Apply a thin line of liquid liner to the lash line, dragging out the edges slightly. Apply underneath the water line, dragging inwards under the last 1/3 section of the eye. I used ArtDeco High Precision Liquid Liner, £21. It's scarily precise!

7. Open up the eye with a touch of creamy concealer in the inner corners. I used New CID Cosmetics i-open double ended eye line and concealer, £16.50 

Here's a rough guide for enhancing beautiful eyes: 

Brown line = Dark tones

Pink line = Mid tones

White line = Highlights

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Dare to Bare: Nude Nails

Every fashion aware girl should own a nude nail varnish, that's my belief and I'm sticking to it. Understated yet sexy, there's a fabulous air of sophistication which radiates from a nude talon. Here are my top picks for those who dare to bare...

butterLondon Nail Lacquer in Shandy (part of the new Starkers collection), £13

butterLondon (with it's oh so trendy packaging) is bang on trend with it's new Starkers collection. The Shandy shade, pictured above, is delightfully soft and creamy - wonderful for pale skin tones. It reminds me of delicate vintage lace.

Nails Inc Basil Street Polish, £11

I'm always a fan of the quintessentially British Nails Inc. Each shade is named after a well-known place in London (except for the darkest of shades, which is named 'Black Cab'...  too cute!) Basil Street has a more of a latte feel to it, Nails Inc describe the tone as Pale Soft Toffee. Gorgeously chic and really versatile, a shade which compliments light and dark skin tones. 

Rococo Nail Apparel Lab Nude 8.8 Creme, £12

Rococo Nail Apparel has a whole Nude offering which ranges from 1.0 (a sheer gloss) to 9.0 (a creamy mushroom). I love this caramel nude shade, Lab Nude 8.8, a warmer option for the trend which is gorgeous on darker skin tones. This varnish is quite thin but very fast drying, so you can build up the intensity of the shade with ease. 

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New Hair Colour! From Blonde to Brunette

If you've followed this blog for a while then you may know that I'm a blonde (sometimes not solely in appearance..."Grandma has gone to JAPAN? Oh... she's in Torquay")

Before

Well not any more! I decided it was time for an image overhaul, so after four hours at my favourite hairdressers, I am now officially a brunette with gradual fade to slightly ombré ends. What do you think?

After

I love a good change, as you can totally change up your make-up palette too. I opted for a darker brow, stronger blush (NARS Orgasm) and a popping pink lip lacquer (Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar) to revamp my usual style.
What are your top make-up tips for a brunette hair style? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook or by commenting below! xx

Revlon Nearly Naked: Foundation Review

Revlon have brought out a brand new foundation range, 'Nearly Naked', £8.99 for the liquid foundation with SPF20, and despite its absolutely hideous (okay, slightly clunky, pardon my incessant need to exaggerate) packaging, the beautiful finish of this High Street foundation is actually very impressive. 

But first, let me get this moanathon out of the way. Mr Revlon big boss man, why would you put such a great foundation in such a un-user friendly bottle? I do not want to have to pour my foundation onto my palm. No, I do not. Undoubtedly my pristine black blouse will look mauled by the sand monster in approximately five seconds. Nor do I want to cart around a heavy glass bottle with a cheap-looking white lid. Phew.

But me and this foundation have found a way to work through our early relationship troubles (I've armed my dresser with a pack of baby wipes) and as you can see in the picture above, the result is light, even and flawless. You really have to buff the foundation into the skin (circular motions with a foundation brush, as if working in a moisturiser) and my skin was fresh and soft after application, with a slightly dewy finish. It softens uneven skin tones, minimising ruddy cheeks or shadows, but does not look too opaque or plastic. A great foundation for the daytime, definitely one of the best I've tried out this year. Now if only I could have a word with the packaging designers...

Top Tip: For an extra flawless finish, sweep a layer of mineral powder foundation over the liquid foundation once it has settled on the face. It makes all the difference! I used Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder, £7.99 (also a fantastic product but with slightly ghastly packaging...not taking any prisoners on the aesthetics here am I?!)

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New Maybelline Colour Show Nail Lacquers: Beauty Steal!

Maybelline Colour Show Nail Lacquer in 'Dressed to Kill', £2.99, available from Boots, ring from NOWseen

On a recent mad dash into Boots (awol tanning mitt disaster, no less) I spied this new nail polish collection by Maybelline. At only £2.99, and on a trusty Boots 3-for-2 offer, I considered grabbing the whole 40-strong range of almost every colour imaginable, but, alas, I had failed to pick up a basket in my haste.

Anyhow, I'll get to my point. For £2.99, this nail wear is a great budget buy. It might not last more than a few days without chipping, and it does need a good few coats to achieve the desired affect, but for it's nimble price tag I was really pleased with the results. A gel-based polish, it was nice and glossy on application, and dried reasonably quick. The range has some amazing colours, some very on trend right now, and kudos to Maybelline for the nifty Pinterest style website.

Have you tried the Maybelline Colour Show range? Tweet @PoutOutProud with your reviews/pics, and let me know your favourite shade xx

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Spring 2013: Beauty Must Haves

Illustration by Rose Sturdy

Sun-kissed bliss is almost upon us. It's time to whip out the sunglasses (any excuse to prance around channeling the aura of V-Becks!) and get ready for Spring 2013. Here are my top products for the up-coming warmer months...  

The Blush: Benefit Dandelion Brightening Face Powder, £23.50

A super pretty pink with a gorgeous light shimmer. This cute blush is all the fresh, floral loveliness of spring in a nice little box. Sweep over the cheek bones for a radiant girlie-pink hue. And it's absolutely beautiful for those with fair skin.

The Bronzer: Clarins Bronzing Duo SPF15, £28

I love this bronzing palette, and as the weather warms up it's always nice to add subtle glow to a sun-deprived visage. The two tones are fantastic for building the illusion of cheekbones, as you can use the darker shade to emphasize the hollows of your cheeks. The mineral powder smells lush, and contains SPF15 for extra skin protection. Glorious! 

The Highlighter: Barry M Dazzle Dust in Gold Iridescent, £4.59

I use the tiniest amount of this shimmer-packed powder on the brow and cheek bones for a light catching finish. Really pretty and illuminating, and quite a bargain too!  

The Nails: Rococo Nail Apparel in Jaded Creme, £12

The minty cream shade looks amazing with a tan, and is so on trend this season. It's an eye-catcher too, with a light shimmer that reminds me of mother of pearl. Rococo is quite thin in consistency but it dries quick, two or three coats does the job nicely. Prepare for glances of admiration when you pop this little number on your talons.  

The Lips: Go Mulberry! Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sugar Plum, £7.99

The mulberry lip trend is STILL going strong, and this brand new shade of lip butter by Revlon is bang on. They're really hydrating and soft too, perfect for a glossy pout.

The Face: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20, £33

Too. much. love. for. this. 

Seriously, it is really really good. If you don't feel like going all out with heavy foundation, a few dabs of this tinted moisturiser (with SPF20, bonus!) leaves the skin visibly lifted and bright. The illuminating version is great for spring/summer, you can look like a dewy, glowing goddess in an instant. It smells gorgeous, feels soft on the skin and adds a great boost of healthiness to any complexion. 

The Hair: Pixie Waves with Mark Hill Wicked Waver, £59.99 

I love a sexy wave in the warmer months, and I've been using this funky waver by Mark Hill to achieve a messy beach style. The waver is unique as it has random bumps, so each wave looks different and more natural. Spritz with Catwalk by TIGI Salt Spray for an extra beach-beautiful finish.

The Eyes: Clinique Cream Liner in Smoke Grey, £15.00

I've already harped on about how much I like these cream liners, but for those who missed it, I think the range by Clinique is ruddy brill. They glide on lovely, don't smudge once dry and last all day long. The smoke grey shade is a softer way of framing eyes, really nice for when you're wearing less make-up on a warm day.

What are your spring/summer beauty essentials? Let me know by commenting below or tweeting @poutoutproud! Also, I'd like to introduce Rosemary Sturdy to you all, who has created the fabulous illustration at the top of this blog. If you like her work then please check out her website.

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