Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Shine Control Mask Review

Yes - yet another face mask review, I've been loving using them recently because I always seem to forget to use them on a regular basis, so whenever I feel like I need a deep cleanse I'll put one on.

This is another one of Montagne Jeunesse's Skin Heroes masks with a mask and a moisturiser included costing £1.49 a pack, I tend to get 2-3 uses out of a pack.

It contains acai berries and argan oil and smells lovely. I found this mask left my skin feeling clean and fresh, also very soft, I didn't love the moisturiser, it was a light lotion that leaves a feeling of there being a layer on the skin, but it's not so bad.

I already have repurchased this mask twice and will continue to do so after I use up all the other face masks I've collected!

Which is your favourite face mask?

Empties // July 2013

I love writing these posts because it gives me a sense of accomplishment, however small, of finishing some of the far too high pile of beauty products I have.

I managed quite a few this month and can't wait to use up more next month!

Dr Brandt Lineless Eye Cream - I really liked using this, I received this sample as part of a birthday gift about two years ago and it really lasted a very long time, (I don't use eye cream every day even though I should!) I would repurchase.

Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - I like this, it's a biphase makeup remover and works well. I already have a large size and would repurchase.

Bioeffect EGF Serum - I know many bloggers rave about how amazing this is but apart from making my skin incredibly soft in the morning I don't think it did much. The sample was tiny though and I'm still quite young so maybe that's why I didn't see an effect? I wouldn't repurchase.

Coola Mineral Tinted Sunscreen SPF20 - I hated this unfortunately, I think because of the tint, me and tinted sunscreens don't go together. Would not repurchase.

Abahna White Grapefruit & May Chang Bath and Shower Gel - I'm glad this was used up as I've had it for so long, I wouldn't repurchase as it didn't lather up that well and the scent wasn't for me.

Nivea Pearl Beauty Anti- Perspirant Deodorant - a basic deodorant, probably would repurchase.

Boots Conditioning Nail Polish Remover - this is ok if you have pretty strong, resistant to anything nails, after using this I found my nails started peeling so I wouldn't repurchase.

The Body Shop Strawberry Body Polish - I love this stuff! The little grains exfoliate, it lathers up and smells just like stawberries. Can be a little overwhelming at first but settles down quickly. I have two more waiting to be used.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - I have around 10 of these thanks to the No7 vouchers that seem to always be around and I like the wipes, they stay hydrated for a very long time and I use them for pretty much anything. Good for sensitive eyes too.

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Dry Skin Mask - I really liked this, very hydrating for the skin, best used in Winter though I think unless you suffer with dry skin all year round. Would repurchase.

Yves Rocher 24H Comfort Nourishing Cream for Dry/Very dry Skin - This was a great night moisturiser, it absorbed very quickly and was very hydrating. I'm not sure whether I'd repurchase though because I don't have dry skin all year round. I'd also like to be able to purchase in a store, I've only found it online.

Bliss Best of Skintentions Daily Moisturiser SPF15/PA++ - This also took ages to use up and I have another to finish. It was great for everyday sun protection and moisturised well after cleansing, I don't think I'd repurchase for a third time though.

Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream - Love this hand cream, would definitely repurchase.

No7 Cleanse & Care Eye Make-up Remover - I'm fed up of using this eye makeup remover, I think it's too oily for my liking and I don't really like the old packaging. I have about two more to use up thanks to the No7 vouchers, if this didn't go down by £5 I wouldn't buy it at all. I'd say it's pretty average.

What are your empties for this month? Link your posts below!

Lush Charity Pot Hand and Body Lotion Review

I bought Lush's Charity Pot as an impulse buy at the till while waiting to buy all the various bubble bars I picked up, it cost £6.95 for 95g and is a vegan product. All of the cost aside from VAT goes to the charity displayed on the top of the lid. There are two other sizes, 10g for £1 and 240g for £12.75.

It is a very light, quickly absorbed body lotion, it smells like white chocolate to me mixed in with a floral scent, the scent is quite strong and will last about an hour at least before settling. The only potentially "bad" ingredients on the list are parabens, otherwise it has almond oil, cocoa butter and other lovely moisturising ingredients like ylang ylang oil.

The pot has lasted me quite a while too, at least two weeks with regular use and I have some left. I love the charity side to this, I think it's brilliant that my £5.56 went straight to the named charity and I got a body lotion! Lush most definitely do not test on animals either. I like the simplistic packaging too, also if you collect five of Lush's pots and take them in empty you can get a free fresh face mask.

I would consider repurchasing, but not for the moment as I already have many more body lotions and creams to use up!

Have you tried this? What's your favourite body lotion?

Mudd Sea Mask Review

Mudd's masks are available in 1,5 or 10 application packs, costing 99p/£1, £3.05 and £4.99 respectively. I was sent a 5 application pack (50ml) of the Mudd sea mask to try out and review.

It contains natural marine protein, minerals and vitamins along with 100% pure clay. Extracts of sea kelp, seaweed and Irish moss, essentially skin should feel hydrated, refreshed and deep cleansed. This mask also contains parabens.

I used this as I would do with any face mask, I cleansed my face, lightly patted dry and whacked it on. It's very easy to apply and gives an even application on the face, after around 15 minutes I took it off, it hadn't set all over my face but I had applied a generous layer. My skin was soft and smooth, definitely felt cleaner. There was a slight residue though which I got rid of by using a toner.

It definitely recharges skin and leaves it deeply cleansed and looking much better, especially if you haven't exfoliated or used a mask in a while!

I would not repurchase again unless I couldn't find any other mask, the reason being the residue and that it has parabens. Had I not found Montagne Jeunesse's masks, which are absolutely amazing the Mudd masks would be my first choice.

Which are your favourite face masks?

Gosh Cosmetics A/W '13 Collection

This is the new collection from Gosh for AW'13, including a CC cream, BB powder, two new mascaras, nail polish, lip liners and smokey eye liners. There were also amazing creamy eyeliners and lipglosses with mirrors on the side so I snapped those too!

This collection is out 29th July and will be available in Superdrug. Please let me know if you'd like me to review something sooner!

Avon True Colour Collection 2013

This is Avon's True Colour collection developed with true colour technology, meaning that the colour seen is the colour that you get! This technology uses a transparent base which carries pigment to give a true vivid colour.

I haven't included any individual prices because everything else will be in upcoming reviews and posts, if there is anything in particular you'd like to know please leave me a comment below and I'll be happy to answer!

There are 17 eye palettes and 60 lip colours, prices starting at £6. It will be available from avonshop.co.uk.

The mascara in the last image was definitely at the centre of attention at the event, I was most intrigued by the new design and apparently it is the biggest change to mascara in over 50 years!

The collection is out 22nd August; I will be reviewing a lot of the products before the launch, please let me know if you'd like to see any reviews asap and I will try to get those up first.

Simply Argan Argan and Violet Infused Shampoo and Conditioner

This is a really lovely pair by Simply Argan for the hair costing either £11 each or £17 for the pair at 250ml each – current prices (on sale).

I’ve been using this set for about two months now and have loved using it, it is almost finished and I will be repurchasing (after all the other shampoo and conditioner sets have disappeared.)

The shampoo contains argan oil and vitamin E, the only not so great ingredient (that I’m aware of) is sodium laureth sulphate. I haven’t spotted any not so great ingredients in the conditioner though. The shampoo foams up wonderfully and seems to be quite gentle, both smell very luxurious too. The shampoo cleansed my hair very well and the conditioner adds moisture and detangles, they both feel very luxurious, almost comparable to Macademia Oil products, although not quite the same.

My hair is definitely softer, smells amazing, stays lovely and soft for a long period of time and I love that the conditioner detangles successfully! It also makes my hair shiny and lessens the natural frizz a bit.

Have you used any argan oil based products? What are your thoughts?

Long Time No See! & New Blog!

Sorry for my absence on blogger, I just don't seem to be able to blog regularly! This will definitely all change because I'm changing my blog, the name and the content.

My new blog will hopefully be appearing on your dashboards (my google reader still works :/) at the end of July! I'm really excited, I'll be writing about food, health, fitness, beauty and fashion, maybe slightly biased towards beauty but I'm not sure yet!

I feel a bit limited writing a beauty only blog and there are other topics I'm sure people would like to read about, especially health/fitness!

I'm also on a spending ban on all beauty products until the end of this year which began 1st July and I can happily say I haven't spent anything on beauty! I picked up some No7 wipes with the £5 off vouchers but I haven't counted those because I stock up every time the vouchers come out!

I have a few posts I'd like to get up before my blog changes so expect some beauty related posts soon!

Thanks for reading! :)

L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Hand Care SPF20

I picked this up a little while ago at a stand alone L'Occitane store as the "brightening" and SPF20 appealed to me. The product has 75ml of hand cream for £19, and is available online and in their stores from what I can see, there is also an SPF15 version available on feelunique.

This contains chemical sunscreens from what I've managed to decipher and the directions for use are to apply 15 minutes before sun exposure to the back of the hands, I find this instruction to be really strange as I'd need the front of my hands to apply it to the backs... Unless I rubbed it in with the backs of my hands facing each other... They also suggest we use their Shea butter hand cream before using this, I didn't want to spend more so I stuck to just this and thought if required I could always use another hand cream I have at home.

The packaging is quite simple but their are hints of luxury visible too, the bottle shape is certainly very different and I really like that it is, the bottom of the cap is also engraved with the brand's logo. The cream itself is a basic white, quite light yet hydrating cream. I use it as I would a normal hand cream, none of this "backs of hands" stuff.

Here are the claims in shorter versions:

- Smoothes hands (Immortelle flower stimulates collagen production)

- Evens skintone, reduces appearance of age spots (includes Bellis perennis - daisy, which regulates melanin production)

- SPF20 broad spectrum protects against sun damage

There are also figures from testing on 34 women over 4 weeks so I decided to test this product for 4 weeks too. I started using it in early April and now it is early May and this is the only hand cream I have used during the day time, at night I've been using whichever one has been closest to me at the time!

It's very light, easily absorbed and doesn't leave white casts on the hands. It doesn't rub off or cause any stickiness or any other issues but does have a noticeable scent. I am yet to notice any brightness or evening of skintone but I will definitely keep using it as it seems like the best hand cream with sun protection I have found to date. I think I would prefer one with UVA protection included too but I do like this one.

Would I recommend?

Yes, it's a lightweight, travel-friendly, easily absorbed, functional hand cream. The price is a bit high but then it is from a higher end brand.

*L'Occitane are cruelty free from what I've understood from this statement although there is confusion online and they are not listed on BUAV's website*

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm

This is Nuxe's cult favourite lip balm and I can confirm that it works brilliantly, I got mine, a 15g pot for £9.50 from Escentual. 

It contains nourishing ingredients like honey, plant oils, shea butter and grapefruit essence, it doesn't contain mineral oil or parabens and 79.5% of the ingredients are of natural origin. I bought this about five months ago and have been using it on and off ever since, it has a light grapefruit scent and a whipped texture, it is easy to pick up with your finger and apply, as you put it on it melts onto your lips adding moisture. It feels very rich and nourishing, even when a smaller amount is applied. Another reason it's great is because a light layer allows lipgloss or lipstick to be placed on top without either of them being ruined, although I would suggest a generous application and it is great as a night time lip balm.

I like the packaging, the only thing I would prefer if a tiny spatula came with it to scoop some product out each time, but then I suppose it wouldn't really be travel-friendly or suited to a handbag. I don't think the stick version would feel as luxurious but I dislike dipping fingers into pots.

Overall I love this lip balm, it works really well and it lasts a long time, the price is a bit high for a lip balm but I would say this would be a treat in your night routine. I do think this has become one of my favourite lip balms.

*Nuxe claim not to test on animals but an article I found here states that they do - on dead animals; they aren't listed on BUAV's website*

Have you found any lip balms worthy of becoming one of your favourites yet?

First Impressions: Ginvera Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel

This is Ginvera's Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel, I was lucky enough to receive two decent sized samples, (enough for 4 uses each) to review and give my opinion on. The full size is 60ml and retails for £22 here. 

This is an exfoliating gel wash designed for use daily, and I think it is gentle enough to be used on a daily basis, it is suitable for all skin types and the usage recommended to see a difference in your complexion is 30 days. It contains green tea essence - which is rich in antioxidants to help protect skin from the sun, soybean extract - with amino acids which have moisturising and illuminating properties, Vitamins C and E - revitilising skin cells, smoothing and clarifying skin and finally biogel - which breaks down skin care products into smaller molecules allowiing deeper penetration and absorption by skin cells. The gel aims to, stimulate skin metabolism resulting in younger skin, refining pores, fading pigmentation and scars, regulating oil secretion, preventing pimples, evening skintone and allowing rapid penetration of skincare products. (Please note the description has been taken from a Ginvera card received with the gel.)

I've used up both of the small samples, I chose to use it in the mornings for the first tube and in the evening for the second tube. The directions are to use this on dry skin with dry hands, it comes out as a light slime green shade and when rubbed on the skin turns into a white thin liquid, after continued rubbing small flakes form, and this Ginvera say is all the dead skin being removed from the top layers of skin.

On occasions when I used it in the evening, twice it just absorbed into my skin, no flaking or anything just absorption, this I believe was because I'd used a moisturiser with sunscreen on my face and it probably just got drawn into it, although I would have thought it would just behave normally and take everything off, it didn't so I just used a regular face wash.

I did enjoy using this product, although I can't say whether it is effective in the long run with regards to all the claims, my skin did feel very clean and the scent is pleasant, it was also interesting to see the bits of skin flaking off.

I think I would purchase a full size but it does concern me that it was drawn in to the moisturisers with sunscreen in them, although I could just use it in the mornings... I did enjoy using the samples, my skin felt much softer and smoother after using the gel and products definitely seemed to absorb better.

Please be aware this is only a first impressions post and not an entire review as I have not used the product for long enough!

Have you tried this gel? What did you think?

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes

These are No7's face wipes, you get 30 wipes for £7, resulting in each wipe costing around 23pence, however there are always No7 £5 off vouchers floating around (which is how I buy and stock up on these wipes) making a pack cost £2!

They are available on Boots' website here and in stores. No7 claim these are suitable for all skin types, hypoallergenic and remove waterproof mascara, I've found them to be suitable for my skin type, normal/combination, and they also remove some waterproof mascara but not all, although I tend to avoid waterproof mascara because it is so difficult to remove in general and there aren't many instances during which I'd need its services.

They are very soft and gentle, and adequately soaked with moisture making them easy to use. I use them a lot, and I really like them a lot. I prefer them to a lot of other brands that I've tried. These wipes aren't textured at all though, which is something I quite like on the Nivea wipes.

They remove all of my makeup when I'm wearing only a little and most if I'm wearing a full face of it, I don't think there's much more I can say!

*No7 claim to be cruelty free however aren't listed on BUAV, but the EU ban of being able to sell cosmetics tested on animals is now in effect, so they must be...*

Have you tried these wipes before? What did you think?

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Dry Skin Mask Review

This is the mask created for dry skin in the Skin Heroes range by Montagne Jeunesse. Sorry for the late review! It is available online at MontagneJeunesse.com and also in various pharmacies and supermarkets for £1.49.

You get 15g of mask and 3g of "serum", I would definitely define the serum as a moisturiser though. It contains raspberries, blueberries and red grapes.

The packaging is simple and appealing, I dislike how I have to leave the sachet open for a while until my second use of the mask and the moisturisers tend to last for 3-4 uses. The mask itself is a white colour which goes on smoothly and smells amazing, fresh and just lovely and summery. (Not the best at describing scents...) I also really liked the moisturiser, it was a perfect balance of not too rich and not too light, went on well and was the only one that didn't leave a tight feeling on the edge of my face (where skin with and without the moisturiser meets) after application.

Has this mask reduced dry skin? Yes. I found it really helped with the dryness thanks to the awful weather and the entire treatment made my skin smooth and soft. I generally have normal/combination skin so this wouldn't be a staple in my skincare routine but on the off chance my skin is feeling very dry I would definitely consider picking this up again.

*Montagne Jeunesse are BUAV approved and completely cruelty free*

Have you tried any of the Skin Heroes range? What did you think?

Spending Ban Update #1 and End

Source

Hi!

I haven't posted about how my spending ban is/was going so I thought I'd write a post today. It went well for the first month, I only bought some nose strips and a shower gel, and went well for February and most of March, then I saw GWP offers and other products I just couldn't resist... Which is ridiculous I know.

I bought Lancome's Teint Idole foundation, (in a shade or two dark for me thanks to the lady at the counter), and 2 of their mascaras. I got a lot of free products so was happy with that but the cost of the three products I actually bought was painful to see rung up on the till... After that I was good but then I wandered into a Rituals shop... The lady was so lovely and helpful, and their products smell so good I ended up buying a scrub and a shower paste. I also picked up OPI's drip dry, L'Occitane's SPF20 hand cream and Jurlique's blemish cream.

This should have been a haul post really... So I've decided to end my spending ban for now, and maybe start going through the products I already have and try another spending ban later on in the year... I'm really looking forward to reviewing all the new products I bought though!

How are your spending bans going?

Dead Sea Spa Magik Hair Magic Serum Review

Source

This is a conditioner/hair mask type product by Dead Sea Spa Magik, sorry for the stock image, I've left my battered, almost empty bottle in my uni bathroom, but as it's practically finished I thought I'd better review it quickly before I forget! This was generously sent to me absolutely ages ago so I'm also sorry for the late review. But enough now and onto the review!

It costs £17.25 for 150ml and is available at Holland & Barrett, I've also spotted it in department stores like John Lewis. It's a thick cream that you apply onto shampooed hair and leave on for a few minutes before washing it off. The very first thing I noticed was the smell, it's not pleasant at all. Well I didn't think it was, I'm sure someone would like it. You can also use it dry as a serum, I didn't use it this way because I don't like having product in my hair generally after it's been washed and conditioned, but even if I wanted to use some, it just looks too much like conditioner for me to want to put it on dry hair.

I've nearly used the entire thing, it's essentially finished and ready for the bin but I want to try and squeeze out  as much as I can for one more use. I didn't like the smell, but I love how it works. It didn't take long for it to soften and detangle my hair, and it also stops any frizziness. That's pretty much all I'd want from a conditioning product - and a nice scent. I don't want to fixate on it, because I think it comes from all the good stuff, minerals etc in the product that actually make it work.

Overall, I definitely think this is worth trying if you have damaged, dry or even normal hair to rehydrate it and give it a boost, making it feel stronger too, personally I don't think I would repurchase because even though it lasted me about two months I think £17.25 is a lot for a product I would use very frequently and I dislike the scent, even though I know it's probably just from all the good stuff in the conditioner! I also found it difficult to get all the product out of the bottle, a squeezy bottle or one with a pump may be more useful I think.

Would you be interested in trying it? Have you given it a go - what did you think?

Quick Update - I promise it's quick!

Hi!

I hope everyone is well, I'm so sorry I haven't been able to blog recently, I got all excited and started to plan a blog overhaul, name change and all - which is happening, just very slowly.

There's always so much going on and blogging gets pushed right to the bottom of my list of priorities but it's always there. Why? I have a box full of PR samples I need to review, I cannot accept samples and not mention them on the blog, even if they're (were) awful - fortunately the only awful products I've tried I've bought so I feel fine moaning about them to my heart's content *insert smiley with huge smile*.

That aside, I still do enjoy writing about and trying new products, it's a very girly thing and I think all girls/women enjoy it. Writing about them and being able to share my opinion *sort of* justifies my more costly purchases...

So... What's happening? As I don't have enough time (right now) to blog continuously I'm setting a goal of blogging once a week, maybe a little more as I ease into it or find I can afford the time. It's a very time-consuming hobby for me because as a perfectionist I can't be content with half-arsed posts, pictures and an outdated blog layout. If I have the blog layout etc sorted out I think I would find it easier to post regularly.

To conclude, I am awfully sorry for the lack of posts and for not really being around much for quite some time now, it will get better! I am also currently working on a new layout, name etc so hopefully that'll all be ready by the Summer, if it ever comes... For now I'll be posting at least once a week.

Thank you so much for reading,

Nav x

The Blog Is Changing!

Hi!

This is just a post to let everyone know that my blog will be very different soon, I've chosen a new name and there will be a new design. I don't want to disclose the new name just yet but I hope you like it! (If not, I'm really really sorry!)

I want to be able to blog about anything I want to and I feel like Navilicious Beauty limits that to just beauty. I've also never liked putting my name or nickname on informal projects unless they're to be examined. Although I take my blog seriously it's more informal and I like it that way :)

I'm also working on a "schedule" so that I can post more frequently, as I've said before this is definitely a hobby and in no way a full-time thing, I have other commitments which I prioritise over blogging (studying!) and for this reason I have found it difficult to post regularly.

So, expect lots of new posts on basically anything, I have a feeling it will just fall into a beauty, fashion, lifestyle blog maybe with a bit more beauty and lifestyle on it.

Once the change has occured/about to take place I will post again so everyone knows and I'm not sure if you might have to follow/unfollow again - should you choose to!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you on the other (hopefully prettier and more organised) side soon! :)

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes De-Clog Pores Review

These pore de-clogging nose strips can be found on Montagne Jeunesse's website and in leading supermarkets. They cost £1.49 for 3 which is effectively 50 pence for one. In comparison this is much cheaper than Biore's nose strips. (A full comparison post coming soon.)

They contain orange flower water and witch hazel to help draw out impurities, the size of the strips is perfect and I like that they're rounded too. I haven't found any that also cover the area closer to the nostrils which I think would be great because the current strips are effective on most of the nose but not all - if that makes sense.

You wet your nose and take one strip out and stick it onto your nose. Leave for 10-15 minutes until it feels hard and then gently remove. Usually you can see lots of rubbish that's been taken out of your pores and with these strips it is the same. I found that these picked up slightly less rubbish although that may just be because I've been being very good about my entire cleansing routines.

I have already and would repurchase these, I like using them as often as possible (maximum is 3x a week) to clean my pores.

Have you tried these de-clogging nose pore strips? What do you think of the concept?

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes T-Zone Peel Off Review

This is another one of the masks in the Skin Heroes range by Montagne Jeunesse. It is the T-Zone Peel Off and is available at leading supermarkets and online on their website at £1.49 for 10ml of mask and 3ml of moisturiser.

I was sent one of these and also bought one, I've used both now and each time I got one use out of the mask, you could definitely make it work for two uses but I prefer a slightly thicker, even layer on my face. It smells gorgeous, very clean and fresh, citrus combined with tea tree in my opinion, certainly not offensive at all. It is a transparent, thick gel type substance tinted with a pale green, it goes on clear on my face though.

Containing Canadian Willowherb, Witch Hazel and Tea tree, both the mask and the moisturiser are to help combat dirt and impurities. I don't think the moisturiser contains Witch Hazel though. Montagne Jeunesse recommend leaving it on for 15-20 minutes, I left it on for 20 minutes and could feel it tingling and drying slowly. Application was easy and I think the packaging is fine too for this mask, because you only get one use from it, the moisturiser I tend to use in the morning and evening for a few days after using the mask and it is also used up.

After 20 minutes the mask was very nearly completely dry so I waited a few more minutes so that I could peel it off. It peels off pretty easily, it's just difficult to get off the bits that are still wet with water. Afterwards the skin is clean and soft, and ready to moisturise. The moisturiser is thin and light, very like a lotion and smells like the mask, it takes a few minutes to absorb but feels like it does well as I experience fewer breakouts after using it. Unfortunately it does make my T-zone slightly oily after a few hours but I think that's to be expected as most moisturisers do, thanks to my skin type.

Would I repurchase?

Yes. I really like this mask but sometimes I do feel that Montagne Jeunesse's masks are better than their moisturisers. It seems to do the job and smells great.

*Montagne Jeunesse is cruelty free and BUAV approved*

Avon Limited Edition True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Arctic Goddess

This gorgeous eyeshadow quad retails at £8.50 for 6g and can be found HERE. It contains four eyeshadows, all coordinating to the blue theme. It launched as part of the Arctic Goddess collection but is still available online. I definitely think these shades can be worn all year round, the blues highlight the "arctic" part but I think the colours are suitable for Spring and Summer too - maybe not Autumn, but you can always wear whatever you want so it doesn't matter!

The top left shade is a pale, frosty, sky blue. It doesn't have much pigmentation and the swatch below took a good few swipes to show up. On the eyes it's the same case. The top right shade is also a pretty sheer, light teal, frosty/shimmery shade, it doesn't have much pigmentation and takes a lot to show up. The bottom left shade is a beautiful matte bright blue, it's very pigmented and lasts well on the eyes too. The bottom right shade is a deep navy, matte shade and it is stunning as an eyeliner or to deepen the crease, it also lasts well on the eyes without a primer.

I really like the packaging of this eyeshadow quad, it's very pretty and compact. Easy to travel with and it also comes with a sponge applicator - which actually isn't that bad. The top two shades have some fallout whereas the bottom two do not. Different combinations of these eyeshadows wore around the same time on me without a primer, which I thought was quite good considering the top two aren't so great in terms of pigmentation.

Would I repurchase?

No. These four eyeshadows will last me a very long time as I don't wear blue shades often, so I won't need to! I also feel like this is a 50-50 palette. It's very pretty, and workable, but I would have liked a bit more pigmentation and less fallout regarding the top two shades. It does provide variation in terms of texture and finish though, so does create pretty looks.

If you don't have these shades or are looking for a few shimmery/sheer shades in blue tones then I would recommend. Or if you just love blues and love the matte shades then this could be great for you too. Avon always have offers on everything so it is worth checking back to see if they are on offer!

Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge

I decided to join Goodreads at the beginning of this year after seeing so many posts about reading challenges and set myself a challenge. On my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days I've actually set myself to read 300 books by the end of it, and I've only managed 2 so far!

I have around a year and a half left to go of it so challenged myself to read 200 books this year. It may sound like an awful lot but I used to read a book a day when I was younger and read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from morning to dinner time (on the day of its release!). I've always loved reading, it's only recently that exams have taken over that I haven't been able to read as much.    

    Nav's books

 

   

 

You can check out my profile and the books I've read throughout the year with the little link on the sidebar of this blog. If you are also on Goodreads please feel free to add me as a friend! :)

Have you set yourself a reading challenge this year?

Avon Arctic Goddess Limited Edition Nailwear Pro+ Nail Enamels

These are the limited edition Arctic Goddess collection nail polishes by Avon, from left to right; green goddess; arctic waters; chilling teal. They cost £6 for 12ml and are currently half price on Avon's website.

Green Goddess is a deep olive green with metallic gold running through it, a really beautiful shade. It took one coat of this to get it looking perfect but I chose to do two out of habit. It lasted well over the claimed 10 days for me. I also love Chilling Teal which is a very light mint shade with silver sparkle, it takes me 3-4 coats to get opaque colour from this, it's very pretty, like an icy shade for Winter. This also lasted me well over 10 days! The final shade is Arctic Waters, a deep sky blue, this has a very small amount of metallic silver/purple running through it I think, it's definitely not only a blue colour on its own. Again this lasted very well on me and took one coat for even colour. All of the shades apply evenly and go on very well.

Overall, I think these shades are amazing value for me, Avon's website also says that all of their Nailwear Pro+ shades have been fortified with acrylic gel. They last very well, and I felt as though they improved the condition of my nails too, I wore base and top coats with all shades by various brands and also trialed them without top coats, with or without they lasted about the same amount of time and did not chip at all.

I would definitely repurchase and I am looking forward to trying out different shades, I've already tried the shade called Inky Blue which you can read about here.

Have you tried any Avon nail enamels? What did you think?