Nails of the day and OPI GERMANY Collection review

Just had to share this gorgeous nail colour from the OPI Germany Collection.

This is a lovely nude/bone colour called "don't pretzel my buttons".

The Germany Collection looks beautiful and I really want to get my hands on some of the other colours;  particularly "every month is Octoberfest" a beautiful rich jewel plum colour, "Berlin there done that" a taupe/mushroom shade, "schnapps out of it" a really vibrant coral tone and "Germanicure" which is a deep wine colour.

I got this one to start me off and paid only £7.95 including postage from www.nailpolishdirect.co.uk
Which is a MASSIVE bargain considering OPI retails at £11.50 ish a bottle.

They didn't have all the colours I wanted hence the one purchase,  but I'll definitely keep checking back and if not I'll get them in May when I head to the USA.

OPI oddly is a polish I haven't used before. I think I've had it put on when I've hady nails done but never actually owned a bottle myself. .. (really can't work out why)

The polish goes on so well, really smooth and this is a bold colour pay off with only 2 thin coats.
I've never really done the nude nail,  I've always gone for very bold, bright colours but I love this!

I'm so impressed and can't wait to get my hands on more of the collection. As and when I do,  I'll post on them.

UG
x

Nivea Lip Butter - Review

I've been having real lip issues lately. They've been dry and flakey and really irritating for the last week or so and I've been practically eating my way through my Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream!

I was doing my usual potter around Boots,  not really looking for anything in particular while waiting for a prescription and I came across this Nivea Lip Butter.

I've not seen them before and the idea of a butter on my lips didn't really appeal because I thought it would be too heavy and goopy but I was pleasantly surprised.

They only had "original" which smells exactly like the Nivea face cream my grandma used to use and the "vanilla and macadamia" which is the one I purchased.

It has a really thick but creamy texture and  although it takes a little time to sink in, it does a great job of moisturising the lips and softening any dry bits.

You do really have to rub it in because the texture is an odd one and it can leave your lips looking like they're just covered in a random cream.
It does have any glossy properties so it's a "does what it says on the tin" product,  quite literally!

I paid around £1.35 I think for a 19ml tin, but a little goes a long way and its super handy to have in your handbag or  pocket.

My lips have really improved so its doing its jobs. Obviously a little more pricey than a regular chap stick, but I think its worth the extra pennies and my lips are happy!

UG
xx

Skin sins!!!

Hello again!

I've been wanting to do a post about skin sins for a while but as I usually am quite OCD with skincare I haven't been in a position to write it......until this very moment that is.

My skincare routine is pretty good. My current routine is. ... cleanse (Philosophy Purity Cleanser), tone (Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic), moisturise (Philosophy Hope in a Jar),  and exfoliate (Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant).
I also include various facial oils (Clarins Lotus Oil or Decleor Iris Oil) when I need them as well as drinking lots if water.
The only thing I need to include regularly is a good eye cream. **if you have recommendations let me know**

I rarely commit *crimes against skin* because now I'm approaching 30, I feel like I need to really look after my skin.

Then......tonight, it happened.  The ultimate skin skin (or one of).
I took my makeup off with. ......... BABY WIPES!!!

Let me explain. ... its 11.30 pm ish and I've just returned from a trip to A&E.
I really just wanted my bed,  which is where I am as I write this.
In the bathroom,  merrily brushing teeth, I spied the baby wipes.

"Dont do it!!" Screamed my face.....too late,  there I went, rubbing away.

Not only did they do a rubbish job, my face now feels tingly in the not-so-good way and its dry as sand.

Why?? Why did I do it???
Sheer laziness,  yes. But really,  its no excuse.

Lesson learned!  No matter how late,  how sick and how lazy I feel....do not reach for the wipes!!!
Its got me thinking though, we all must have these monents no matter how dedicated we are to our routine, no?

So, what skin sins do you commit and why?

Much love
UG
xx

Vitiligo and it's patchy self....

Not sure if I've mentioned before that I have a skin condition called vitiligo? Pictures for reference are included.

Its basically an immune disorder where the body essentially attacks its own pigment and you end up with pure white patches all over.
They start out really small and eventually they all meet up to make one huge big patch.

My mum has the same condition and hers started when she was around my age (29) too.

We've been told its linked to the fact that we have under active thyroid glands and given that this is a life long thing, there's pretty much nothing we can do but wait to become one big white patch. Oh the joy!

My mum has huge big patches which have joined up over the years but luckily she had never had any on her face.  Unlike me....

It started out as small patches on my hands and under my arms....these have and are still getting bigger.
Then came my very own connect the dots on my upper thighs. ..then my hands and now, either side of my chin.
I have bilateral symmetrical vitiligo, so I look like one of those paint splodge pictures!

Now obviously I can cover up with makeup on my face,  but gradually I wonder how big these patches will get?

I'm kind of getting used to it, but I'll admit,  I really really dont want the patches on my face to get bigger.

Is that vanity? Maybe.... I do feel conscious of it. Hopefully one day there will be something to help it disappear.

Until then, patchy as ever.....
UG
xx

Unimpressed with Bare Minerals.....

This week, after months and months of deliberation and seeking advice from fans of the products, watching countless QVC UK shows and visiting several Bare Minerals counters in several different stores (including a Bare Minerals Boutique in the USA), I finally took the plunge and coughed up £49 whole English pounds on a starter kit. I had originally wanted the "try me, love me" kit, a dinky little £20 kit with just enough to see if you like it before having to jump in feet first with a £50 purchase......however it appears you can only get this in the USA from Sephora.
You might want to rethink this Bare Minerals!

Keen to see if the hype surrounding the "swirl, tap, buff" phenomenon, I eagerly tore in to my newly purchased addition to my ever increasing make up collection.

I have to say I was utterly disappointed.
Although the pots are convenient with a "click, lock, go" system to avoid spillages etc that's pretty much the only thing going for these products in my opinion.

I bought the "medium" kit, which includes a 2g pot each of original formula foundation in medium and medium beige, a mineral veil finishing powder and a powder called "warmth" which is waaaay too dark for anyone unless you're going for the oompa loompa look this season and a mini prime time face primer.
It also came with a full flawless face brush, a flawless face brush and a concealer brush plus the most long winded "how to" dvd ever.

I do think the brushes are good quality, however I did hear that this kit used to come with a kabuki brush,  which I think would be much better than the 2 face brushes (full flawless and flawless) which are essentially the same brush but one is fuller as the name suggests.

Basically,  and this is only my humble opinion, it just doesn't work.

The brushes dont seem to pick up enough product,  the product itself doesn't seem to stay on the skin, it dries out skin, takes about an hour to actually have any effect and lets face it,  who wants to wait an hour before going out after doing make up? ?
The primer I felt was too greasy and made my skin feel tacky.

I attempted use of this over three days and by the third day my usually clear ish skin was irritated, itchy and clogged atound the nose and chin.

In all, I really think this was a waste of £49 and there's no way I'll be converted.
There are plenty of BM fans out there,  friends of mine included. If it works for you, then great but this certainly won't be on my re-purchase list.

Bare Minerals UK tweeted me and said I "wouldn't be disappointed". Well, I am.
Massively so.

Back to liquid I go......

UG
xx
Apologies for badly lit pics!

The grand old U S of A......

Soooo, its November. Its cold where I am at the moment (Mid West USA)....how cold? Minus 4. Yup.....snowmen could have a fiesta outside its that cold.

I travel back to the UK in a days time......and thought before I leave I should ponder on my first trip here to the States.

Things I have learned on this (my first) trip to America....

1. The lovely folks over here like things big....when I say big I mean HUUUUGE!!! I have eaten more in the few days that I have been here than I ever thought possible. Some things they do really well....Meat for example..some things they don't (I had a bad eggs Benedict experience on my first day).

2. Thanksgiving can be somewhat of a let down if you've only ever seen it in a movie....

3. I now say movie and not film.....(irritating)

4. When you are in a non tourist area in the USA, as a Brit, YOU are inevitably the entertainment. From a bank clerk getting super animated, asking "do you know the princess"(yeah lady...because every person is a second cousin of royalty in the UK)  to every single person that has served me food or drinks either doing a double take or out and out asking me where I am from (because clearly the accent doesn't give it away at all) to the nicest people just striking up a conversation over dinner one evening who then become friends.......,my whole trip has been filled with these encounters.

5. The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) can only be described as........OMG!!!!!
Never in my life before this event have stayed awake until 3am in order to go SHOPPING! It is a bizarre tradition the the States that sees people doing daft things just to get a "bargain". From camping out in snow and wind to charging the doors of somewhere called "Best Buy" at midnight (yes, midnight) to get a TV.....it both baffled and fascinated me in equal measure.
I'm glad I got to see it....would I do it again? Probably not...but only because I like sleep.

I've experienced 2 seasons in the space of a week...warm Spring and now Winter. I've crossed the Mississippi River more times than I care to count, had random bouts of laughter for the silliest of reasons, eaten 6 burgers in 10 days, been to a wine store in a cave, seen a car sail across a river , had beer and cheese soup and tried something called "milk duds".

My first trip to the USA has been what I would call EPIC...... I cant wait to come back and do it all over again with someone very special.

Much Love
UG
xx

Research, research, research....

Sooooo.... you may or may not know that I'm writing a book...welk, attempting to at least.

Its been a work in progress for so long I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get round to actually putting all my ideas in to paper!

Supposedly everyone has a book in them... well, I think I have about three!
However,  this one is basically going to be my ultimate guidebook to all manner of things. Make up;  skincare,  dinner parties,  packing for various trips away to baby bump beauty and pre wedding prep etc etc etc.

I don't expect it will sell billions,  to be fair if the only copy I sell goes to my mum I'll be happy!

I'd love any suggestions on what to include. ...

Speak soon
UG
xx