Angelica Nail Colour Swatches.

Brit Pop | Holiday Fun | The Midas Touch | Glossy Top Coat

The Midas Touch* is part of the new metallic range. I'm not the biggest fan of metallics, I like them on others but almost never buy them for myself so I was shocked over how much I like it. How gorgeous is this gold shade?! I bloody love it. It's just the right shade of gold to suit all skin tones. I got full coverage from one coat and the polish is so easy to work with.

Holiday Fun* is such a vibrant shade of purple. It's a lot brighter than its coming across in pics, its almost neon with really subtle shimmer running through. Once again I had full coverage with only one coat, the formula was a bit thicker than The Midas Touch but still really easy to work with.

Brit Pop | One Coat Of Brit Pop Over Holiday Fun | Two Coats Of Brit Pop

Brit Pop* is a new densely packed glitter in a clear base. It's almost identical to certain more expensive glitter polishes and works just as well. Two thick coats give full coverage or you can layer it over whatever colour you like.

I'm so impressed with Angelica Nail Colours. It's the first time I've tried any colours from the range and I'll definitely been picking up a lot more. At £2.50 each from Primark in the UK and Ireland they're a bargain and in my mind they're far superior to polishes in a similar price range such as BarryM.

For Holiday Fun & The Midas Touch I used two coats but you could get away with only one. I used The Glossy Top Coat* on top of all 3 polishes and you can see how amazing the shine is.

Have you tried any polishes from Angelica?

*PR sample

Phil Smith Moisture Rich Shampoo & Conditioner

Phil Smith Moisture Rich Nourishing Repair Shampoo* & Nourishing Repair Conditioner*

Last week I mentioned I added some highlights to my hair and have been looking for more moisturising shampoo/conditioner options. I posted about the JASON Sea Kelp Shampoo & Conditioner (link) but I've also been trying out this duo from Phil Smith.

Phil Smith Moisture Rich has been designed for those with dry/damaged hair. I've been using the shampoo & conditioner once a week for some added moisture but still use my SLS free shampoo the rest of the week. My scalp can be crazy but I've got it under control and using this duo once a week hasnt caused any bad effects. As soon as I lather up the shampoo my hair instantly feels so much softer. I can almost run my fingers through it before I've added conditioner and thats saying something! It reduces frizz and just helps the overall look of your hair. The Nourishing Conditioner isnt a hair mask but if I leave it on for 5 minutes or longer I get the same results as an intensive treatment mask and my hair is so much easier to style. Once styled my hair feels like silk, even when I havent used a hair oil or any other styling product. My hair is on the thick side but the conditioner is light enough to be used on fine hair and using it once a week means I never end up with my hair feeling weighed down.

I felt a bit funny about introducing SLS back into my hair care routine which is why I only use it once a week and dont plan on changing that any time soon but my hair just needed some extra help and once a week seems to be working fine for me.

Have any of you tried this duo or any other Phil Smith products?

Phil Smith Moisture Rich Shampoo & Conditioner £3.99 each from Sainsburys

*PR sample

Lately I've Been Lovin' #4

Antatomicals Puffy The Eye Bag Slayer - I'm forever going on about how puffy my eyes are  so I decided to get a cooling eye mask. I havent used one of these bad boys in years but they really do work! I went for one without eye holes, the pressure against your eyes aswell as the coolin feeling from the gel really helps to make your eye area look a lot better. Even if you dont have puffy eyes but get tired, stingy eyes then this would be worth trying. The only bad thing is that you cant see at all and when I finally take the mask off I'm still blind for around 5 minutes because of the pressure being against my eyes. Definitely need to pick up another one with eye holes. Not only have I been using it for my eyes, I've been using it as a head mask. Might sound strange but I've been getting really bad headaches that last a full week or more each time. Putting the mask in the fridge for half an hour then strapping it to my head for a while helps loads.

The Happy Bee Company Fragrance Free Face Cream* - A while back on Twitter I was contacted by Sally who offered to send me some of her products. All products are hand-made in her workshop in Norfolk and are made from bees wax, propolis or honey from her own hives at the bottom of her garden. :) Fragrance Free Face Cream is for your face obviously but after dropping a blob on my arm I realised it works really well as a body cream too. If you're not the type of person who can be bothered with a million different creams then maybe give this a try as an all in one. Sally also makes candles, lipbalm, face masks and the cutest mini heart bath bombs. You can see everything here http://www.thehappybeecompany.co.uk/

Dior Lip Glow Colour Reviver Balm - I've been using this constantly over the last month or so. I've done a full review (link) At the time I said I more than likely wouldnt repurchase but the closer I get to finishing it the more I think I definitely will. Feels like a balm, adds just the right amount of colour, keeps your lips feeling nice, smells great and the packaging is cute.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash - Ohhhh Emmmm Geeeee! Definitely one of my all time favourite body washes! I love the packaging, the scent, how it foams up, how it leaves your skin feeling. The only thing I dont love is the price (£17) Luckily I got this in a trio from ASOS. You can see my post on it here.

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat - This foundation was made for me! <3 You can read my rave review here. I just cant fault it, for me its one of the best, if not thee best foundations out there.

Chanel Illusion D'ombre in Emerveille - I love the colour, its so easy to wear and apply. I just smooth it over my eye lid and along my lower lash line and thats it. It looks lovely worn alone or as a base, just helps to brighten the eye area and makes you look more awake.

Another two favourites this month - Iced Cups & Rodial Candles :)

I had quite a lot of favourites this month but narrowed it down to just 6/8. Maybe the others will appear in next months post if I'm still loving them as much. What have you been reaching for the most this month?

*PR sample

NOTD: Virgin Vie Shocking Pink & George Jackpot

After clearing out my nail polish box and seeing what colours I've got I've started to use some that had been locked away for years. They were in nail polish jail but not anymore!

Back in the day I really liked Virgin Vie. One of the girls I used to work with was a rep so I would always pick up some nail sets everytime they were discounted. All the Virgin Vie polishes I own are 5+ years old and still going strong, and all the shades look exactly the same on the nail as they do in the bottle. They're easy to apply and the gloss on this shade was amazing even before I added top-coat.

I picked Jackpot up last year in Asda, its a clear polish with teeny tiny sparkles of silver glitter. The glitter isnt dense at all, its never going to be opaque but it looks really pretty layered over certain colours. Its so subtle that most of the time its not obvious you're wearing glitter, it just makes whatever colour you're wearing look a lot more glossy.

Products Used:

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base Coat

Virgin Vie Shocking Pink (2 coats)

George Jackpot (1 coat)

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri

What polish are you wearing this week?

Elizabeths Daughter: The Intensive Moisturiser & The Skin Spritz

The Intensive Moisturiser £22* | The Skin Spritz £15*

I've had this post drafted up for so long now but somehow it managed to get lost. Tsskk

Elizabeth created Elizabeths Daughter after years of trying to find products that suited her own skin. She also wanted to create simple and effective skin care for young girls, including her daughter. All products are on average 95% natural and the botanical extracts are sourced responsibly. None of the ingredients or products are tested on animals and all products are free from parabens, sulphates and petrochemicals.

The Skin Spritz made it into my favourites last month (link) and its safe to say its still a firm favourite. A lot of hype has been surrounding the Caudalie Beauty Elixir (I love it and have repurchased three times now) but I still stand by what I said in my review, it has a tingly effect on the skin but thats as far as it goes and I wouldnt recommend it to anyone with dry skin as it adds zero moisture. If anything, I find it to be drying at times. The Skin Spritz is the complete opposite. If you've tried Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic then you'll know how moisturising it is, you almost feel as if you dont need to apply moisturiser after and thats exactly how The Skin Spritz feels. If my cheeks flare up or get really dry this instantly soothes the skin and helps with any redness. It contains fresh strawberry cells, aloe vera leaf juice, rose water and naturally occuring glycoproteins from mountain balm. It smells so, so good. If you have oily skin then The Skin Spritz might be too moisturising for you but anyone with dry or irritated skin should really give this a try.

The Intensive Moisturiser is a whopping 100ml and is designed to calm sensitive/dry skin. Ingredients include Sacha Inchi oil, Tahitian Monoi, Kakadu Plum Extract which has a very high Vitamin C content equivalent to 10 oranges, Apricot Kernel Oil, Mango Butter and Argan Oil. Each help to nourish, moisturise, relieve, soothe and help inflammation. When the skin on my cheeks flares up I get really itchy and hives pop up all over my face. I dont know if its because of medication, weather, temperature change, water or just a combination of everything but when this happens I reach for The Intensive Moisturiser. The hives dont disappear straight away but it seems to stop more from popping up and kills the itch, I've even used it on my body.

The range is aimed at young girls but I dont see any reason why boys/men couldnt use it. I feel both products would be too rich for oily skin but could be HG products for those with dry/sensitive skin. I used Caudalie Beauty Elixir and Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic for comparison as they're probably two of the most popular toners at the minute and I know a lot of people have tried them.

Have any of you tried these products before? Whats your thoughts?

All products can be purchased from www.elizabethsdaughter.co.uk

*PR sample

July: Used, Abused And Reviewed.

 Living Nature Vitalising Cleanser & Balancing Night Gel Samples: I cant really remember much about either of these but they were really tiny samples with nomore than one use each.
  Would I Repurchase? Not sure.

Origins GinZing Eye Cream Sample x2: GinZing is a product I've always been tempted to purchase. Reviews are nearly always good so I was excited to try it out. I got around a months use from both sachets and yes it illuminates the eye area slightly but thats it, it didnt depuff as it claims.

Would I Repurchase? Maybe.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri: Dries out and goes gloopy far too quickly but its still a brilliant product.

Would I Repurchase? Already have.

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo: I love Batiste and tropical is probably my favourite one but the mini 50ml doesnt last long at all.

Would I Repurchase? Yes but only in full size and I want to try cherry next.
Green People Gentle Cleanse Make Up Remover & Cleanser*: Lovely cleanser. Left my face feeling really soft and removed make up well. You can read my full review here

Would I Repurchase? Not at the minute.

Burts Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion: Gorgeous scent, I couldnt stop sniffing myself everytime I used this. Done a decent job of moisturising but its maybe not the best for people with really dry skin. Its nice and light for summer though.

Would I Repurchase? Undecided.

L'Oreal Color Riche Nail in Opera Ballerina: One of my all time favourite polishes. I just love this and wear it atleast once a week. Click here for swatches.

Would I Repurchase? Yes and I already have. :)

 Beyond Organic Replenishing Hand Cream*: I reviewed this back in feb (link)

Would I Repurchase? Its such a rich cream so I would only purchase it during the colder months as my hands arent overly dry.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser in Dry/Sensitive: The Skin Repair Moisturisers just dont suit my skin at all. Even the Light option still leaves my skin greasy but I've been using it as a neck cream.

Would I Repurchase? No.

So thats everything I got through this month. Have you posted your empties posts yet? Link them below so I can have a nosey.

*PR sample

Review: Derma Eraze Miracle Oil

Derma Eraze Miracle Oil* is an all purpose healing oil and is made from Olive, Avocado and Almond oil. It can be used in a number of ways and almost anywhere on the body which makes it a handy product to have around the house. I'd never heard of Derma Eraze before Catalyst PR who do the PR for Derma Eraze introduced me to the Miracle Oil and since then it's been something I reach for on a daily basis.

It can be used to treat/prevent stretch marks | to moisturize extremely dry skin | as after sun | to help bumps and bruises | on chapped lips. Anytime you feel your skin needs some extra help then Derma Eraze Miracle Oil does the trick. On the website it doesnt mention anything about using it as a hair oil but thats exactly what I've been doing. I add a tiny amount to my midlengths/ends and it acts as a serum. Miracle Oil is as the name suggests an oil but its quite thin. Not at all thick like Moroccan Oil which means it sinks in to the skin/hair really well and doesnt leave any residue behind.

My bottle is just a sample size, full size comes with a pump and I'm sure it'll last such a long time. I've been using my sample almost daily for a few weeks now and it still looks full. I think I might try it as a bath oil next and see how many different uses it really has.

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Vitamin E. For external use only not suitable for those with nut allergies.

Have you heard of or tried anything from this brand before?

Derma Eraze Miracle Oil £20 inc. shipping from http://www.dermaeraze.co.uk/

PR sample

Obsessed: Rodial Candles

Its no secret that I love a good candle. I always have to have more than one dotted around the house and I cant remember the last time I had a bath without one burning but I'm really picky when it comes to scents. I'm not the biggest fan of floral, I think the only floral candle I own is Yankee Candles Sweet Pea. I usually go for sweet/foody or clean scents and I cant have anything too overpowering or synthetic or I'll end up with the worst headaches but at the same time I expect to be able to smell the scent when I walk into a room.

After having a good nose around the Debenhams website, perving at all the make up items I want but dont need I came across Rodial candles. Rodial is a brand I've never really been too interested in mostly because of the scandal that surrounded their crazy skin care claims a while back and because its quite a pricey brand. The usual price of Rodial candles is £45 but in the Debenhams sale they were reduced to £10 so I decided to give them a try. The two scents I went for are Rehab - roasted almond & honey milk and Lounge - honeycomb & vanilla.

The packaging of the candles is gorgeous.Mirrored silver surrounded by thick glass with Rodial written in white. The candles also come boxed and would make really great (expensive) gifts. I'm sure you've already guessed by the title of this post that I. Love. Them!

Both scents are sweet and creamy but not sickly, fill a room without being overpowering, dont cause headaches, dont smell synthetic, dont flicker or smoke and they last for ages. I think I read the burn time for each candle is 60 hours. Even when the candles arent lit they still throw out some scent. I cant even explain how much I love these but I went straight back on the Debenhams website and ordered another three while they're at £10. I plan on keeping one of each 'for show' in my room. Yes I know I'm sad but they look soooooo pretty!

Have you tried Rodial candles before? If you have a spare tenner burning a hole in your pocket then get yourself to Debenhams before they shoot back upto £45.

Review: JASON Smoothing Sea Kelp Shampoo & Conditioner



A couple of weeks ago I got bored of my hair being one colour and decided it would be a smart idea to add some highlights. I love how it turned out but since then my hair has needed a more moisturising shampoo. The SLS free shampoo I've been using is still one of my favourites and probably something I'll repurchase for the rest of my life (Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo) but I just felt my hair needed something a bit more. I've been trying out two different shampoo/conditioner combos, one SLS free and one which isnt.

JASON Smoothing Sea Kelp Shampoo £6.29* is free from SLS, parabens and phthalates. It cleanses my hair in the same clarifying way that all SLS free shampoo seems to but it adds a lot more moisture as its enriched with Sea Kelp, Ginseng Root & Kukui Nut Oil. If my hair is left to dry on its own after using this it looks frizzy (if you use SLS free shampoo you will know what I mean) but you can tell the hair hasnt been stripped, its just not weighed down with any nasties, and the shine it leaves behind makes your hair look so healthy like you've never used heat or even coloured treated it. It also lathers up really well which is something some SLS free shampoo can struggle with. JASON Smoothing Sea Kelp Shampoo is enriched with multi vitamins and botanical extracts - Vitamin A, C, E and the botanical extracts help to protect your hair from enviromental stressors.

JASON Smoothing Sea Kelp Conditioner £6.29* is packed with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. It conditions the hair really well but doesnt leave build up which means I'm able to go longer between washes. My hair never feels heavy and once I've left my hair to dry naturally it still looks a bit frizzy but once I've straightened it it's completely smooth and the style stays in for days.

Each bottle is huge - 480ml and the price is so reasonable. The scent reminds me of coconut and remains on the hair untill the next wash. I havent had any irritation at all since using this shampoo/conditioner and would fully recommend it to anyone who feels their hair needs some extra moisture. If you dont really style your hair then maybe give this a miss as it doesnt leave any build up which means the hair can be a bit frizzy when left to dry naturally.

JASON Smoothing Sea Kelp Shampoo & Conditioner can be purchased here for £6.29 each

My Hair: I have long, thick, naturally wavy, colour treated hair. My scalp can be quite reactive to certain ingredients and tends to be itchy/dry if I use the wrong products. My roots get oily very quickly but my midlengths/ends are dry/damaged.

*PR sample

BeTrousse Spring Beauty Giveaway. *CLOSED*

BeTrousse is a beauty box with a difference. I'm sure we all know what a beauty box is by now and one of the newest boxes to hit the UK is BeTrousse. Unlike most beauty boxes, you dont have to subscribe, you can just go on the website each month and take a look at the contents before placing an order. Another thing that makes BeTrousse a bit different is that all products are full sized! And as far as I'm aware all the brands featured in BeTrousse kits are French.

BeTrousse kindly offered to send one of my readers the Spring Beauty Kit.

I dont have a box of my own to show you as unfortunately BeTrousse only deliver to England (I'm in N.Ire) so this giveaway will only be for my English readers.

The kit includes:

Allo Nature Organic Hand Cleanser £7

Voulez Vous Warming Body Oil £3

Forte Pharma Turbo Slim Chrono Activ £29.95

Sentara Bio-Relaxing Intense Balm Eye & Lip Contour £39

BYS Cosmetics Lipstick in Chocolate Sparkle £2.99

This kit is on sale now for £19 instead of £78 which is a bargain but one lucky reader will receive their kit completely free.

To enter all you have to do is publicly follow Been There, Done That, Got The Lipstick via GFC (+1 entry), head over to Facebook and like the BeTrousseUK Facebook page, and leave your email address in the comments section of this post so I can contact you (+1 entry).

The winner will be chosen at random by me. I will pass your details onto BeTrousse and the lovely people there will send you your Spring Beauty Kit. The giveaway will end on 24/7/2012 at 12am.

Here's the BeTrousse website link if you would like to see the contents of the Spring Beauty Kit in more detail. http://www.betrousse.co.uk/

I will be holding another BeTrousse giveaway next month with another of their themed kits so make sure you check back.

Good Luck!

The winner is Natasha from Clouds And Cuticle Oil :) Congrats! Hope you enjoy everything in the kit.

My Nail Polish Collection Part 7 - L'Oreal, Essie, Nail Girls, GOSH, Virgin Vie, Bio Sculpture, Essence, Sally Hansen.

L-R: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri | Diamond Strength Hardener | GOSH Rainbow (link) | L'Oreal Color Riche Nail in Opera Ballerina (link) | Nail Girls Blue #4* (link) | Essie Van D'go (link) | Smooth Sailing (link) | Essence Choose Me | Make It Golden | Irreplaceable | Virgin Vie Crimson | Shocking Pink | George Jackpot | Starry Eyed | Bio Sculpture Top Coat.

Click the links to see my swatches.

So thats the last of my nail polish collection posts but I've picked up a few bottles in the last week or so which kinda makes clearing out my nail box in the first place a waste of time. I'm sure within a month I'll be back to where I started and left with a lid I cant shut. Oh well.

*PR sample

REN Shower Trio Gift Set.

Moroccan Rose Otto | Seaweed and Sage | Neroli and Grapefruit

Over the last few months REN products have been popping up all over the blogosphere. I was lucky enough to try out some samples around Christmas time and was really impressed by the Hydra Calm Day Cream. Its probably my favourite moituriser to use under foundation and I've been eeking out the tiny sample ever since. However, Red magazine have a brilliant REN trio freebie this month and included is a 15ml sample of Hydra Calm. :)

 I wanted to try some of the shower products as I've heard great things about the Rose Otto shower gel but the price always puts me off - £17 for a shower gel is just too much. After browsing the ASOS sale I noticed a few REN gift sets reduced but the one that caught my eye was the Shower Trio Gift Set. The set usually retails at £40 which is still expensive even though you're making a saving compared to purchasing them separately but I managed to get them in the sale for £28 :) I snapped them up straight away and have been stalking the postman since I placed my order.

They arrived today and the gift box is gorgeous! REN has collaborated with de Gournay, the designs are taken from the Japanese and Korean collection of de Gournays hand-painted wallpaper designs.

All REN products are free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colours, TEA, DEA, glycols, PEGs and silicones.

If you're interested in this gift set you can pick it up from ASOS for £28.

Review: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

After the huge success of Revlon Lip Butters I couldnt wait for the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains to hit the UK. Although I liked the look of the Lip Butters I didnt buy any, not even one, crazy. I spent half an hour in Boots having a good old swatch session and even though I really liked all the Balm Stain shades they were just too similar to colours I already own. In the end I went for 040 Rendezvous, an orange shade which isnt similar to any lip colour I already have.

The balm has a slight minty scent, its barely noticeable and isnt detectable at all once applied to the lips. This might please some people but I really like minty lip products and would prefere the scent to be a lot stronger. The retractable chubby pencil is a huge selling point for me. I absolutely hate having to sharpen lip products, its messy, wastes a lot of the product and is just another step I cant be bothered doing.

I expected the balm to be really soft, almost a melt-y, buttery texture but it isnt. Its quite solid but applies easily, doesnt drag and the staying power is pretty good for a balm. The pigmentation is good but isnt as full on as a regular lipstick or stain, its not fully opaque but it adds enough colour to the lips along with a slight glossy finish. After the gloss wears off you're left with a nice stain which doesnt go patchy nor does it dry out the lips. My lips are really pigmented, they naturally look like I'm wearing red lippy so on me Rendezvous comes across as a dark orange.

Overall I'm really impressed. I'm not sure how the other shades compare but I would happily recommend Rendezvous. I might go for Darling next :)

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains cost £7.99 from Boots & Superdrug but are currently priced at £5.99

My Nail Polish Collection Part 6 - Filthy Gorgeous London, Revlon, Deborah Lippmann, Models Own, Rimmel.

L-R: Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle | Models Own Disco Mix | Revlon Facets Of Fuchsia | Filthy Gorgeous London Tea Bird* (link) | Filthy Gorgeous London Rosey Posey* (link) | Filthy Gorgeous London Minx* (link) | Rimmel Pop Rose (link) | Rimmel Peppermint (link) | Rimmel Hot List | Rimmel Disco Ball | Rimmel Blue My Mind.

Only one more post left then thats my collection finished, I think :) If I've swatched it I've included links. You know the drill by now.

You can see the rest of my collection  here, here, here, here & here.

*PR sample

Jewellery Haul, Kinda?

Earlier today I was just walking around the shops having a look at everything in the sales. I love sales but I cant cope with sale rails, pushy people and having the backs of my ankles assulted by prams! I was just about to leave when I spotted the jewellery in Dorothy Perkins reduced to stupid prices. I needed some new dress jewellery, most of mine have turned green and ended up in the bin. Heres what I picked up..

£12.50 reduced to £2

£5 reduced to £1

£7.50 reduced to £2 (the heart looks chipped but it isnt)

£6.50 reduced to £2

£8.50 reduced to £2

£5 reduced to £1

Dress jewellery doesnt last me very long at all so I always pick up a few bits in the sales. I would never pay more than £10 for something that ends up in the bin after a few uses. I also picked up one of the new Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (currently £2 off in Boots) but I'll leave that for another post, and I got another bottle of my beloved L'Oreal Opera Ballerina nail polish. :)

Did you manage to get yourself any bargains?