Firstly - a big thank you to everyone for entering the Christmas giveaways! Winners have been emailed and if you visit the relevant posts, announced on the widget. Thanks again to all for entering.

On to the post...behold my latest complete and utter impulse buy (as ever)

I basically picked this up because it looks very very similar to the Real Techniques brushes, a few of which I actually own.



Verdict? Well, it's incredibly soft. Absolutely no shedding when washed, which I was pleasantly surprised about as it was so cheap. However, this particular brush is far too large to be properly used on my face, really - my own fault for not checking. There is a smaller version on sale which I was planning to investigate before I bought a set of Sigma dupes from eBay. Can't comment on whether this brush is a Real Techniques dupe as I don't own this specific one from them, but they seem fairly similar.

Anyone else tried Wilkinson's brush range?

I may or may not have gone a leeetle crazy once I got my GCSE money and erm, yeah. See for yourself. In my defense, I've been broke all summer!



These should have set me back £20, even with the promotion, but because I used a Superdrug voucher during the transaction, I only spent about £15 (WINNING).
On the release date of these, some bloggers had reported that the tubes felt crunchy when they felt them in the stores. I found that 'crunchy' sensation happened to almost every tube that I picked up. I suggest you go out and experience it yourself, because it's so odd - almost as if the tube was filled with little sugar crystals rather than highly pigmented lip related goodness. After comparing the feel of the testers to the actual product, I decided to bite the bullet and buy them anyway, correctly guessing that it was just the packaging - getting home and trying them out, they're as expected as soon as the packaging is removed. Yey.



A quick trip to Wilkos revealed a huge jar of petroleum jelly for just 50p (for making tinted lipbalms) three tubed lip balms in cute flavours, and then I went back to Superdrugs for the wax strips and asprin. I'm planning to do an asprin mask with the asprin, so that's why I included it. Lol.





Finally, I had no idea that MUA Cosmetics had new colours out? I picked up these gorgeous three on a whim. Two bright, almost-neon summery colour (a hot pink and a hot orangey-red) and then this gorgeous khaki shade for that painful transition to autumn. Well. It'd be painful if we'd actually had any sunshine this year...regardless, the dirty green shade is a really unusual addition to a budget cosmetics line. Hoping it performs...

Recently, I've been kind of neglecting school appropriate looks - the teachers have been kinda lax in the weeks leading up to SUMMER (woot) and so I've been getting away with the most outrageous eye makeup and nail polish. Orsums. But recently, I yearned for a return to simpler times. Behold, my (sort of) school appropriate design:
If you reduce the amount of pink french tip you can get away with it, I think. I used Nails Inc Sloane Mews to even out any discolouration in my nails and also buffed them with this buffer I got for £1 from Wilkinsons (the Image range). It's surprisingly good...don't know how long it'll last, but for a pound it's alright.
To create a smile line I used a cotton bud dipped - no, soaked - in nail polish remover and basically rubbed it on the excess varnish to make it pretty. Then, I simply put the Sloane Mews polish over it (it's very sheer so I was quite confident it wouldn't stain my nails any more than they were) and yeah, you're good to go.

Isn't it typical? Be draconian on nails = outrageous polish and nail art. Be lax as anyone's business = suddenly, school appropriate again. Ah well. Schools out now anyway so I can do whatever. I. like. That's right.

Until next time,

Lena
xxx

 I used at least half of the Wilkinson's blue for this, added the remainder of the crushed up white eyeshadow I featured in my tutorial and mixed it up. Then I added lots of clear nail polish in an attempt to make it more jelly like :P

 Unsatisfied with the hue, I added some white nail polish. That white nail polish is all finished now because I used the rest in the next franken coming up.
I did have a couple more swatches for you but they're on my laptop - which is in repair. Don't worry though, I'll keep the nails coming :P

Love,

September Lena

xxx