Musings and ramblings of a Jewish Fashionista

Musings and ramblings of a fashion and beauty obsessed mama. A fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog.


Thursday 20 December 2012

Christmas Nails

I've got a whole weekend of Christmassy fun planned, including hosting my annual Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve party (weird name, long story). So, I figured to save time on the weekend, when I will be mulling wine and make my delicious (if I do say so myself) hot apple cinnamon...yum...that I would do my nails now.

Hopefully they'll last me to Christmas day - if I have to touch up then so be it! I was puzzling over what to do, but as I have come into some new nail varnish additions to my collection recently, I thought I would use a few different ones to create a simple yet festive look.

Gold and red, sparkles and gems...perfect!

I used a combination of brands, including Rimmel, Maybelline, Nails Inc and new obsession, Nail Art (most exciting nail brand I've used in ages) to achieve the finished look. I didn't want to go too OTT, but I wanted them to have that pretty festive look.

So, here is what I did and what I used step by step. Are you going to do anything special with your nails for Christmas? Do you like playing around with a bit of nail art? Enjoy x

 
From left to right, I used: Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in The Winner Takes it All, Nails Inc in Covent Garden Market, Nails Inc in Fleet Street, Rimmel Lycra Pro in Pink Amazon and Nail Art 3 in 1 kit using the gold shade.

Rimmel Lycra Pro in Pink Amazon

Maybelline Forever Strong Pro in The Winner Takes it All

Nails In in Covent Garden Market and Fleet Street (from the Stylist set)

Nail Art 3 in 1 pen (dotting tool for decorating, nail varnish and gems for decorating)

 
Step 1) After using my Essie bottom coat, I painted two coats of the Rimmel Pink Amazon shade on all my nails, apart from the third nail.

 
Step 2) I painted my third nail with two coats of the Maybelline The Winner Takes it All.

 
Step 3) Once the two shades dried completely I then used the Nails Inc Covent Garden Market (the red glitter) on the Rimmel shade and Fleet Street (the gold glitter) on the Maybelline shade. This gives them a gorgeous sparkly finish!

 
Step 4) Using the Nail Art 3 in 1 pen, I dotted little gold dots on the red nails and used the sweet little gems from the kit to decorate the gold nails.


 
Step 5) Once the nails are completely dry, I used my Essie top coat to finish the nails off and create the glossy finish. And there you have it...sparkly, festive Christmas nails.
 
 
 

Monday 17 December 2012

Christmas Jumper Love

I don't know what it is this year, but Christmas jumpers have suddenly become the hottest piece of fashion around!

From the high street to designer, Christmas jumpers have invaded the nation and what was once thought to be geek, is now oh so chic.

I love that you can get matching ones, his and hers and that they come in a variety of styles, fits and designs. You can go quite minimal and go for a simple snowflake or fair isle design, or go all out and opt for a full on Santa or snowman design.

I've decided to do a little round up of my favourite Christmas jumper styles, as well as the one which I bought myself...and the hubby...to wear on the big day itself.

Have you got yourself a Christmas jumper this year? Which style did you go for? Enjoy x

My Christmas jumper of choice from Primark - £12

Close up of the Primark Christmas jumper - £12
 
Boohoo.com Reindeer jumper £18
New Look Candy Cane Jumper £19.99
Boohoo.com Santa Jumper £15
Matalan Falmer Heritage Fairisle Cardigan £25 
Topshop Robin jumper £50
Topshop Christmas jumper £39
Ted Baker Fairisle knit jumper £99
Miss Selfridge Owl jumper £39

ASOS Christmas scene jumper £38


 
Marks and Spencer Reindeer Jumper £35


 

Thursday 13 December 2012

Gorgeous Gift Ideas #2 - LUSH Christmas Specials

Continuing with my gorgeous gift guide, the lovely people at LUSH (I am a HUGE Lush fan, especially as I worked there every summer during uni!) sent me a package of their new Christmas goodies. Feeling extremely spoilt and very reluctant to give any of them away, I decided they needed their very own dedicated gift guide post. A Lush product makes the perfect stocking filler, or, you can go all out and pick up one of their gift sets, which range from the small (a couple of products) to the amazing huge (20+ products.)

Whatever you choose, take a look at my review below of the best of their new Christmas goodies, and start adding them to your list to ensure a relaxing and beautifully smelling Christmas. Enjoy x

The entire stash!
 
Bubble Beard £4.95


 
I LOVE this! This cute little moustache on a stick is actually a reusable bubble bar. How does it work you might ask? When your bath water is running, simply take the Bubble Beard and swirl it under the running water, to fill your bath with soft bubbles. Then, pop it on the side of the bath, ready to use over and over again. This smells gorgeous too –not too sweet and actually quite mellow and very relaxing, featuring cedarwood, sandalwood and tonka, making this the perfect pressie for a girl or a guy.
 
Christmas Eve Bubble Bar £2.95


 
Mmm…I love Lush’s bubble bars. They usually produce so many bubbles, that I break them in half, so I get two baths out of them. This Christmas Eve bubble bar is a really lovely treat for a cold winters day (or night depending on when you like to take your baths!) It looks like a crescent moon against a night sky and it does have a feel of magic about it. Featuring a lovely jasmine fragrance and Irish moss powder, which leaves your skin super soft.

 
Father Christmas Bath Bomb £3.25


 
For those of you who are unfamiliar with a bath bomb…shame on you! Where have you been?? Lush’s bath bombs are legendary and their cute Father Christmas bath bomb is a must have for everyone. Featuring an adorable Santa face and a couple of hidden surprises…I’m not going to tell you, you have to buy one for yourself to see, this yummy smelling bomb gives off the aroma of a traditional Christmas; mandarin and orange. To get the most out of it, run your bath and then get in, lie back and drop the bath bomb in…it explodes around you and tickles as it fizzes away.
 
Party Popper Bath Bomb £2.95

 
Yay, another bath bomb! This one really gets you in the mood to party. I love the pretty colours (watch that water turn) and the fruity smell, and even better, when I dropped it in the bath, it literally explodes with popping candy, fragrance and (soap) confetti, which leaves you skin really soft and clean. It does kind of make you want to drink the bath water though…but don’t…OK?!
 
The Melting Snowman Luxury Bath Melt £1.95


 
How sweet is this little snowman? Yes he is melting, which is slightly macabre, but he is a snowman, and he is a melt, so don’t feel too bad. This is a really gentle product, which I absolutely love. While your bath is running, place the snowman in and watch him melt, leaving a trail of skin softening cocoa and shea butter and a gorgeous hot toddy fragrance – cinnamon, clove, orange, lime and more. I think this is a great gift for a fella in your life.
 
So White Bath Bomb £3.20

 
This is a great bath bomb to get someone who might be a little apprehensive about using them for the first time. It has a simple and delicious fragrance of fresh apples, and leaves your skin really soft…even better though, through this bomb against the side of your bath when it is full and the white outer layer shatters to leave a trail of pretty pink, which leaves your bath water looking as sweet as it smells.
 
Twilight Shower Gel £4.25/100g

 
Now personally, I always use Lush’s shower gels as bubble baths, because I always prefer a bath to a shower (I know…bad for the environment…slap wrist), and this gorgeous festive gel works equally as well as a bubble bath, shower gel, shampoo, whatever! Perfect for a guy or a girl, this divine smelling gel has notes of lavender, vanilla and malt and really helps you unwind. The colour is so pretty too, a shimmering, rich purple. I couldn’t get out of the bath when I used this, and it helped me get a really good night’s sleep – seriously, treat yourself to one!
 
 
Santa's Sack Bubble Bar £4.15



 
The final bubble bar in my list of goodies comes in the form of Santa's sack! No dirty minds please! Perfect for anyone, this yummy smelling bubble bar is big enough to break in half and use for two baths. Smelling of lovely things like fizzy drinks, neroli, tonka. Even better, you can pull out the "toys" in the sack, and put them to one side to use another day! What more could you ask for.

 
Popcorn Lip Scrub £5.25


 
 
Yum, yum, YUM! I had to be so careful not to gobble this little pot of niceness up...and yes...this is one Lush goodie you actually can pop in your mouth! Featuring a popping candy and salted caramel flavour, and made from coconut and jojoba oil, castor sugar, sea salt and polenta, you take a little scoop of this scrub and buff your lips and then lick them clean! Amazing! I've just had a go and my lips are now super smooth and taste gorgeous. Pop one in every stocking for a very sweet Christmas.


Disclaimer: I was sent these products to review for free but I was not paid to make this post and my opinions are always honest

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Gorgeous Gift Ideas #1

It's getting very close to that time of year! The festive spirit is well and truly in the air, and what better way to get you all in the mood than to do a little round up of some gorgeous gift ideas for Christmas, Chanukah, whatever!

I have very kindly been sent an assortment of fabulous fashion and beauty products to review for this post, and I have selected my absolute faves to create a gift list idea for you. I loved some of the products so much, I'm going to do a couple of separate posts dedicated just to them, in a bit more detail, but for now, I hope you enjoy my round up.

P.S. I'm going to try and film a video for this as well, but my webcam seems to have become poorly, so hopefully I'll get that sorted and then post the vid here and on my youtube channel. Enjoy! x



Mad Beauty is a great little beauty find. Specialising in affordable beauty and make up treats, they are a great place to go to for fun stocking fillers and secret santa presents. I was sent three gorgeous items to try out; one bath product and two make up products.

All three Made Beauty products

Mad Beauty Make Up organiser front view £6.99

Mad Beauty Make Up organiser inside view £6.99
 
 
The two make up products are actually "make up organisers," a sweet way name for a make up palette. The first organiser (pictured above) contains 18 eyeshadows, an eye shadow brush, blusher, face powder and a mirror, all tucked away in a cute hand held organiser. It's the perfect size for popping in your handbag and for touching up throughout the day, and the eyeshadow colours range from soft neutrals to more vibrant shades. At just £6.99, it's definitely worth picking up a few of these this Christmas!

Mad Beauty Vitali Tea £4.99
 
Mmm...I love this. It looks like a tin of fancy tea, and is called "Vitali Tea" clever eh? For £4.99 this sweet tin contains fragrance tea bath salts - this particular fragrance is ginseng and it smells divine. You simply open the tin and scatter a handful of the salts into your bath for a delicious smelling soak, and they apparently leave your skin super soft...hmmm...I'll be trying this out tonight then!
 

Mad Beauty Make Up organiser front view £5.99
 
Mad Beauty Make Up organiser inside view £5.99
 
The second make up organiser comes complete in a pink diamanté finish. A cute gift for a girly girl, this little organiser snaps open to reveal 12 shimmering pressed eyeshadows in neutral and vibrant shades, an eye shadow brush and a handy mirror. Retailing at £5.99.
 
 
 

 
Frontcover is a brand, which is fairly well known and is becoming more and more of a cult beauty brand as the years go on. I've been a big fan of the brand for quite some time, and even found myself quoted on one of their Christmas gift boxes last year (I was very excited about that!).

This year, Frontcover have come up with two real gems and I was fortunate enough to be sent a sample of both of them. I always get really excited when I see their packaging, as they always look like high end magazine covers. The boxes open to reveal a gorgeous selection of beauty goodies, plus tutorials to get whichever look the sets are looking to replicate. Below are the two products - one is called True Colours (£25) and is a fabulous make up and nail varnish set, complete with make up brushes and the other is called Dark Arts (£25) and is an amazing nail art kit.

Dark Arts and True Colours

Dark Arts front view

Dark Arts inside view
Dark Arts is a gorgeous gift for any nail varnish or nail art lover. The set contains: 4 nail varnishes (black, red, orange, gold), 1 top coat, 3 strips of bespoke printed nail stickers, a dotting tool, a striping brush, holographic diamond glitter and metallic gold squares for decoration, scissors, mini tweezers, a nail file and nail glue. It basically includes everything you need to get really creative with your nails and I think it is an absolute steal for just £25.

Nail art is so huge right now (in fact, I have another nail art set below) and I love how Frontcover shows you how to create all their looks. I might not actually be able to give this one away as a gift!


True Colours front view
 
True Colours inside view
 

True Colours close up
 
The True Colours kit contains "a modern romantic concoction of sheer, shimmery and natural colours that emulate transparency and see through fabrics found in almost every collection this season..." This is such a catwalk worthy make up kit, and the colours are truly gorgeous - a selection of lilacs, warm peaches and soft greys. Inside, you'll find: 6 domed baked powder eyeshadows, 5 satin pressed eye shadows, 5 lip glosses, 1 nail polish, 1 nail glaze, 1 double ended mascara, 1 eye shader brush, 1 blending brush, 1 retractable lip brush. Again, an amazing amount for just £25 and the perfect gift for someone who likes to have fun with their makeup.

The eyeshadow colours are right up my street and will suit pretty much any skin tone. Once again, I might have to keep this little baby all to myself! Whoops!

For more on Frontcover, check out their website: www.frontcovercosmetics.com


Vaseline Mini Make Up Bag £5.99
 

This Vaseline kit will make a really sweet stocking filler, or Secret Santa present. Who doesn't love Vaseline, and at this time of year, when chapped lips and hands are all too familiar, this really is a must-have for everyone! The cute, retro inspired zip up bag comes with two cult Vaseline products - the "Rosy Lips" rose and almond oil lip therapy tin and a divine hand cream for healthy hands and strong nails. Perfect for popping in your bag, grab this little life saver for your nearest and dearest.

 
 


Now, I don't know if you're a fan of the Apprentice, but last year, the finalist Susan Ma made a really big impact, and she has been pushing her beauty and skincare range, Tropic, ever since. I was sent a couple of her latest products, and they are actually really nice. One is a firming nourishing cream and the other is an all purpose organic luxury oil.

Click here for more info on Tropic.

The two Tropic products

Tropic Organic Luxury Oil RRP £25
 
The Organic Luxury Oil smells amazing - it's called "exotic and floral" and it really reminds me of that gorgeous smell when you arrive in a exotic location on holiday. It actually solidifies in cooler temperatures, and considering the temperature at the moment, mine was solid when it arrived. However, you just place it in a bowl of warm water and it returns to a liquid state again. You can use this oil all over as a body moisturiser or massage oil or even apply it to the ends of your hair as a deep conditioner. The oils featured are coconut oil, rosehip oil jojoba oil and macadamia oil, so it is a really lovely, natural product and the bottle is so pretty, this would make the perfect indulgant present. 
 

Skin Revive Firming Cream by Tropic £16

This lovely cream isn't perhaps the best present, but it is a lovely treat to give yourself! It's a concentrated face cream containing lots of vitamins, antioxidents and plan actives, which apparently leaves your skin soft, supple and nauturally glowing. I have to admit, it smells beautiful and I'm going to do what it says on the tin (bottle, whatever) and apply it twice a day - especially at the moment with the freezing weather, our poor skin needs all the help it can get! I will report back with my verdict, but it's looking good so far!




Now, how about these for a super special, sparkly present? These stunning tights by Aristoc don't quite break the bank at £35, but you might be thinking, £35 for a pair of tights?! Yes, it does sound a lot, but when you take into account that the back seam is adorned with sparkling Swarovski crystals, you might understand why. They are also super soft and feel like a dream to to put on. They are perfect for any party princesses you might be buying for this Christmas, and will solve the problem of making tights look gorgeous for an evening do. Available from: http://www.prettypolly.co.uk/


Aristoc Jewelled Backseam Tights £35

Aristoc Jewelled Backseam Tights detail view £35
 
 
 
Finally, we have a brand, which I have just been introduced to but am already seriously in love with. So much so, that I will be dedicating a whole blog post to the brand and a selection of its products very soon, so make sure you keep an eye out. This is my second nail art present idea, but, as I said before, the nail art craze is so huge now, a selection of products is definitely needed! The brand this time is, funnily enough, called; Nail Art, and this gorgeous gift idea is called "The Party Pack."
This fun gift set is the ultimate one-stop-shop for all nail art lovers. Featuring three sparkly nail art pens (which can also be used as nail varnish), a wheel packed with all kinds of fun and fabulous gems and sparklu bits (over 500 art embellishments to be specific!) and a glitter encrusted emery board for prepping. Available at River Island, this nail art lovers kit is a must-have and at under a tenner (£9.95) this is a secret santa gift you'll want to keep all to yourself.





Disclaimer: I was sent these products to review but all views are my own and I was not paid to write this post