Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish (198 Azure)

Last weekend was so lovely and sunny that I decided to paint my nails a suitably bright colour. I randomly reached in the drawer and pulled out this little beauty. I bought the little 8ml bottle from Boots a few months ago but decided that day was a good time to give it a try.

After 1 day

The colour is gorgeous, though I must say my camera phone isn't doing the shade much justice! I was a bit put off it first because I thought it wouldn't suit my dark skin tone, but I can imagine this colour flattering people of all skin tones! The Rimmel website describes the range as:

"Hardwearing, chip resistant, long lasting colours for a great colour finish. Choose Lasting Finish nail polish for the latest, up to date shades. Great funky pack! Super Value! Great impact!"

So I applied two coats to get an opaque coverage but to be honest in the bright light of the sun it looked like I should have gone for three, which was a bit disappointing. I did use a top and base coat (Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Duo), but I didn't initially intend to review it! Old habits die hard I guess!

After 3 days

Given that I used a base and top coat, I'm a little disappointed by the wear. As you can see from the last photo, after six days there is a very noticeable chip on my index finger. This would've been sooner and greater if it wasn't for the top coat I used. Having said that it's only £2.99 for 8ml (£3.74 per 10ml) so I think I'll be able to live with it!

After 6 days

[This is not a paid review. I purchased this product with my own money. All views expressed here are my own]

Spot the difference?

I used to hear about it with others but I was never a victim of it myself. I just thought some people were being fussy. But now that I am on the receiving end, I'm not quite sure what to make of the situation...

[Figured it out yet?]

Here is one of my favourite haircare brands, Aussie. One product, two bottles. But one very defining difference. They've added Aloe Vera to the Mega Instant, Colour Mate, Aussome Volume and Miracle Moist shampoos and conditioners.

I'm currently using Mega Instant shampoo + Miracle Moist conditioner. These, plus Take the Heat, are my favourite ranges. I only recently opened the conditioner bottle and it's the new version containing Aloe Vera.

I know that aloe vera has beneficial properties but I really didn't like the texture of the conditioner. It looked more like a shampoo. Previously the Miracle Moist conditioner had a very light creamy texture, whereas now its a clearer gel like formula. The former felt much more moisturising compared to the latter.

Aussie are changing their product line up - for better or worse, I'm not sure yet. First they got rid of the Take The Heat hair serum (and replaced it with a cream version) and now they're changing actual product formula in four of their ranges.

Maybe I just need to endure an adjustment period. Since I don't really like to waste, I'll use up the newly changed versions and see how they work out. Who knows, I may end up preferring the new formula!

How about you? Have you ever continued to use a product after the formula/ingredients were changed? Did it make it better or worse? Leave your own experience in the comment box below!

Original Source Mint and Walnut Super Scrub

A few month's back there was a buy-one-get-one free promotion in Sainsbury's on Original Source shower gels. I'm a huge fan of the brand, particularly the Lime and Lemon & Tea Tree shower gels - they're so citrusy and refreshing! They're also fairly inexpensive for a decent shower gel, normally they retail at £2 each. So I took the chance to buy some of the brand's products that I hadn't tried, in particular their body scrubs.

I ended up with the Mint & Walnut and Cranberry & Honey Super Scrub. I've already finished the latter a while back, and truth be told I was very disappointed. It smelt lovely but the consistency was appalling! As I poured in on to my hand it would just slide off. I tried to rectify this problem by pouring it directly to my skin but the same happened - it just slid off and fell on to the floor of the bath tub! Given the reddish colour of the product, it became akin to a scene out of a Hitchcock thriller. And even after all that mess, my skin didn't feel that it had been exfoliated well.

So unsurprisingly I was quite reluctant to try out the Mint & Walnut version. I predicted the same would happen.

The consistency is also not so good with this one. Whilst it's miles better than the Cranberry & Honey version owing to its thickness, I still find a good portion of it on the bottom of the bath tub. Additionally, I'm finding it very difficult to squeeze out! However it does have a saving grace - this is actually a decent scrub! My skin has been quite smooth since using this and application of my body lotion after showering has improved.

I think fans of Original Source's Mint & Tea Tree Shower Gel will quite like this because it's also very refreshing. After using this scrub, even the slightest movement makes my whole skin tingle, which would make a great treat on those hot and sticky summer days! It's not so great on the cold winter days (during which I mostly used it), where I would do anything to avoid that cold tingly sensation. Even a lifetimes supply of Polo mints won't be able to get you as "fresh" as this scrub can!

The packaging is nothing over-the-top, typical of Original Source's simplistic style - it's straight to the point. I'm a bit shocked that it says on the front that it contains "6,989 crushed walnut shell bits" in every bottle - that's seems a bit excessive, no? The bottle, like all of the other products by Original Source, is stamped with the Vegan logo. This seal of approval certifies that it's "animal free" by The Vegan Society's trademark standards.

Whilst the effects of the scrub are great (and perfect for summer), I don't think I'll really be buying it again simply because of all the mess it created and all the work I had to do to get it out of the bottle and into my hand. But if that kind of problem seems trivial to you, I'd definitely recommend it!

P.S. I've just checked Original Source's website. The Mint & Walnut scrub seems to be part of the permanent line, but I can't find a link for the Cranberry & Honey scrub. Guess it wasn't that popular!

[This is a review of a product that I purchased myself. I didn't receive this from the brand's PR. All views in this post are that of my own]

Fresh start!

New beauty blog!

I've decided, since I have a bit of time on my hands now, that I'm going to start a beauty blog! This will just be me reviewing and raving (or possible ranting) about beauty products that come and go in my life. This will range from things like perfume, make-up, bath & shower goods and perhaps some healthy lifestyle topics too!

I don't claim to be a professor in beauty, but I am a consumer. So my purpose with this blog is to share my experiences with products that I consume and open up discussions about what's good and what's not so good.

Hopefully I'll be able to make this a regular thing (i.e try and post frequently). So stick around and you might see something that's worth your while!