NOTD: Week with Konad, Day 1- geometric print in blue

If you follow me on twitter you might have read my tweet about a full week of Konad stamping starting on the blog today. I haven't done it in ages, but I know that it used to be the most popular type of post on my blog. It is so easy and fun that I think everybody should try it. I could do a step by step tutorial if you are interested? Let me know.

Today I used Essie Mint Candy Apple as a base colour (with a matte top coat) and Essence Denim Wanted for the geometric print. I was going to use fake nails for this, but it is hard to stamp them to be honest. I think that I will do the full konad week on my short natural nails.

PS. I don't understand why my cuticles are so dry!!! I use a cuticle oil a couple of times a day, hand creams and ointments!!! Any advice?

Bourjois Liner Pinceau 16h in Black

Bourjois Liner Pinceau in Black £6.99 

I have been repurchasing this liner for over 6 years and it is the best one available on the market in my opinion. Nothing compares to it! I think I went through 20 already!!! I don't use mascaras and eyeliner for longer than 6 months so even when it isn't empty I buy a new one. If I use it every day it lasts for 5-6 months anyway.

The quality of this products is amazing! The colour is jet black and it stays on all day without smudging. The flexible brush makes the application very easy and I can create a perfect flick every single time. I hate when an eyeliner brush is hard, I want the liner to glide onto the eyelid not to scratch my eyeballs! If there was one product I couldn't live without it must be this little liner! It is a must have for me. If Bourjois discontinues it I will be making a trip to their HQ to beg for a lifetime supply :) haha

Please excuse the state of the packaging :) I use it constantly and the writing rubbed off. I can highly recommend this liquid liner and I really hope you will love it s much as I do. It is an absolute bargain, retailing for only £6.99. Bargain! It also comes in brown and gold.

Urban Decay NAKED palette and the ebay fake - comparison

Hi everyone,

This post has been highly requested, so I finally got my act together and I am writing it :) the picture quality isn't amazing, I took the photos when I first bought the palettes and my DSLR wasn't working so I used my digital camera. Anyway... Here is the story.

I am a big fan of Urban Decay and own 20 single UD eye shadows and one Book of Shadows, so I was holding off with buying Naked and Naked2. After months of thinking about it I finally ordered Naked off ebay from a seller who seemed genuine and had really good feedback. When the palette finally arrived, I knew that it was fake as soon as I opened it. I was soooo disappointed! The seller argued with me via ebay messages, saying that it is a real UD Naked, so after a couple of days, I gave up and thought... whatever, I will just keep the palette and do a comparison post showing you the fake one and the real one I bought from House Of Fraser. Here are the differences I noticed:

-The difference in the outer packaging is very noticeable. The real thing comes in a purple case with a clear lid and the Primer Potion on the side, the fake one comes in a cardboard box.

-When you take them out of the packaging they look similar, but the colour and the size of the velvet case is slightly different. (On all the pictures the real palette is on the top, the fake one is on the bottom. You will be able to tell the difference anyway).

-The difference in the quality of the palettes is shocking. The real one is well made, all the shadows are the same size and depth. The fake one looks cheap and nasty and the shadows are different sizes, some of them half empty!!!

-The real one is much heavier than the fake one and feels more sturdy.

-On the original Naked palette you will find a serial number on the side and the label at the back is a sticker, the writing on the fake one is embossed and there is no serial number.

-The writing on the front and on the inside of the real one is perfect, on the fake one it looks dodgy and flakes off easily.

-The quality of the eyeshadows in the real palette is amazing, they are creamy and apply beautifully, stay on all day, even without the primer. The fake ones are surprisingly good too, but I haven't used the shadows on my eyes (because I was scared) but on my arm they look very pigmented. There is more fallout though and the difference in the colours is noticeable, especially when you look at shades like Half Baked, Naked or Dark Horse. I was very surprised to see the dark shades from the fake one being much darker and more pigmented than the genuine shades. I must admit, whoever made the fake eye shadows done quite a good job, but we don't know what they used to  make them... Ingredients found in fake makeup are usually toxic, tested on animals. There are no regulations for fake makeup, because it is ILLEGAL to make and sell it!

-The brushes are different too, the real one is a bit longer and feels heavier than the fake one. The writing on the genuine one doesn't rub off, the writing on the fake one started to come off right away.

What are your thoughts on fake makeup or "no name" make up? I absolutely hate fake beauty products and wouldn't use them. Since I got 5 fakes on ebay I stopped buying makeup and skincare from unauthorized sellers. If it looks too good to be true, it will more than likely be a fake. I do not trust ebay anymore and I don't want to put my health at risk by using fake makeup. The fakes I came across are: Benefit, Mac, Urban Decay and Schwarzkopf.

I forgot to mention the prices. The real one was £36 the fake £20.00.

EDIT: The reason why I am writing this post is to warn you about fake makeup available on ebay and to show you how to spot the difference, once you get your palette. I have been getting comments on this post saying that people are happy with their fake makeup, they will use it forever and always buy it, because it is cheaper. WHAT IS THE POINT??? Honestly... If you can't afford  Urban Decay, buy MUA or other cheap brands. Don't risk your health just to save a couple of pounds. You can even end up losing your eyesight! Is it really worth the risk? I personally wouldn't use anything like it near my face. I think it is very irresponsible, silly and childish.

If you don't believe me, read this post written by lovely Sarah from Pretty In Pink.

top- real Naked, bottom- ebay fake

top- real Naked, bottom- ebay fake

MUA pretty pastels eyeshadow palette review with swatches

Hi everyone. I usually host giveaways myself, but sometimes I enter the ones organized by fellow bloggers too. I was lucky enough to win a couple of bits and bobs in the past 7 months :) I think all of them were single item giveaways though. The most recent one was MUA Pretty Pastel palette. I was planning to buy it myself, but like I mentioned before, my local Superdrug stores are really bad at stocking MUA. The shelves are always empty and I don't like to buy makeup online, I like to swatch it before, see it etc..

First of all I need to say that I have been using Urban Decay eye shadows most of my adult life, so I am used to great quality and and an amazing colour payoff. I will add my UD collection post soon.

The MUA palette is a bargain, retailing at £4 for 12 colours. I didn't expect it to be amazing, but it is actually ok. The one I got contains pastel colours, very delicate powder pinks, violet, blue, lime green and some neutrals. You can see all the colours in the swatches below (All the pictures were taken in natural daylight). All shades except the first one in the top row are slightly shimmery, not very pigmented and a bit powdery. To get the best results, I would recommend using a primer. Surprisingly the colours lasted on my eyelids for most of the day without creasing , so if you are looking for a cheap eye shadow palette you should definitely give this one a go. Have you ever tried their make up?

NOTD- starting again

Hi everyone, 

I get many compliments about my nails in my NOTD posts, but most of the time I use fake nails to get a nicer effect. I don't even wear the fake nails to be honest, it is purely for my blog and to please your eyesight :) and mine obviously. I don't want to damage my nails with strong nail glue, so I use eyelash glue instead and it keeps the fake nails in place for a couple of minutes, it is enough for me to take the pictures and when I am done I just peel them off. I know... it sounds crazy :)

I recently filed my nails down to nothing, because I want them to become stronger, so here they are... my tiny, short nails with a glittery manicure. I used 2 nail polishes from the OPI NYC Ballet Collection: Don't Touch My Tutu and Pirouette My Whistle.  I am also using OPI nail Envy every day to make my nails stronger.