Sunday is for Reflection...

1. I am proud to announce that I haven't watched a single episode of the X Factor this year =)

2. I have however been hooked on Big Brother -_-

3. Not having a roast on Sunday makes it not feel like a Sunday

4. Bought the new Barry M 'Foil' varnishes and really liking them!

5. Under three weeks until my time of work and I'm counting the days...

6. ...Will be doing plenty of shopping so should have some hauls for you ;)

7. The weather outside is frightful... And I'm loving it!

8. Switching to de-caf Tea makes a huge difference... zzzzzz

9. Sometimes being an adult in a situation means shut your mouth and keep calm...

10. ...It is sometimes then followed by crying but feeling better =)

11. 8 weeks until my 22nd birthday... Eeeeshk!

12. I enjoy blogging =)

A few to follow : Ilanka, Yara and Olsens Anonymous

Want to be here next week? Leave me your blog and I'll have a look =)

Thank you for your time =)

Nicky
xo

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish : Porcelain Pink - A Review

Hey everyone =)
I have a review for you today featuring the recently released product: MAC Mineralize Skin Finish - Porcelain Pink. It was featured in the High Tea Collection and also the Colour Craft Collection last year and I think that this one isn't as loved as Lightscapade. A few people with my skin tone (NW20/NC20) have said that they cannot get it to show on their skin.
Here we go with pictures and my thoughts on Porcelain Pink...

All pictures taken by myself in natural light. Click to enlarge.

MAC's UK website describes this product as : A luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish. Smoothes on: adds buffed-up highlights to cheeks, brows, anywhere on the body: provides an ultra-deluxe polish to the skin.

My description : A light champagne colour with slight gold reflects. It has a shimmery look, almost frosty.

The price is the usual £20.50 for 10g of product - which I always find reasonable. And is once again limited edition.

I like this MSF - note, like not love. I find myself reaching for my other MSF's in my collection over this. That is not to say that I am not going to use it, I just feel as thought when I apply this, I need to apply something with more pop on top. A way that I have found to get this effect is to apply my blusher (usually Fleur Power or Pinch me by MAC) and then sweep Porcelain Pink on top.

I thought that maybe the fact they released this MSF with such a sought after one (Lightscapade) in the same collection may have been a mistake, but I guess it all comes down to people's taste and if lighter skin tones find this difficult to use and have tried it before, they aren't going to purchase it again. I think that this particular product wont have the same finish on everyone so I would recommend testing first if possible.

All in all, I don't regret buying this MSF as I will use it it just isn't one of my favourites.

I hope you found this review helpful and if you have any thoughts on Porcelain Pink, please share them in the comments below =)

Thank you for your time =)

Nicky
xo

MAC Lightscapade Mineralize Skin Finish - A Review

Hey everyone =)

I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the heavily coveted MAC Mineralize Skin Finish : Lightscapade.

It was originally released in 2006 with the Danse Collection, but it has been recently re-promoted - once again, limited edition - with the Fall Colour collection (October 2011) and sold out with in hours!

All pictures taken by myself in natural light.

As you can see for yourself, the highlight effect is quite stunning. I'm a sucker for a highlighter and I didn't have anything like this is my collection. It cost the usual £20.50 for 10g of product - lasts forever!

MAC claims to release a new collection online the first Thursday of each month. I took a peek 9am Tuesday morning, saw it had been released and was at the checkout stage before I knew it!

When I got home at 4pm, I checked the stock out of interest and the Lightscapade MSF was sold out!

I was so pleased that I had taken the initiative to check it that morning other wise I would have been a very upset girl! =)

I use my MAC #138 brush to apply it to my cheekbones and it gives a surprisingly natural - ish ;) - finish.

If you can at any point get your hands on one, I would definitely recommend it. If I had know it was going to be sold out, I would have bought a back up!

I would bet any money that MAC will continue to release this in collections for years to come, so fret not if you didn't manage to get one this time, they'll always be next time =)

Thank you for your time =)

Nicky

xo

A Review : Toni and Guy - Cleanse and Nourish Collection

Hello lovelies =)
I have a review post for you today, read on if you're interested in healthy, happy hair...


Toni and guy have recently launched a new hair range. It is made up of 7 mini collections : Cleanse and Nourish, Casual, Classic, Creative, Glamour, Prep and Men's.

About a week ago I bought a shampoo from the Cleanse and Nourish collection. It's called Shampoo for Advanced detox (250ml for £5.99) The product claims : Toni&Guy Cleanse Shampoo for Advanced Detox deeply cleanses from root to tip to remove build-up and residue, leaving hair soft and manageable. I have product build up due to my excessive use of frizz ease serum and hairspray! It also says for occasional use. It left my hair feeling soft, shiny and light as a feather. I had never noticed that when I clean my hair regularly, that there could still be product in there no matter how well I clean it. 10/10!


The next product I bought was the Nourish Deep Conditioning Mask for Blonde Hair also from the Cleanse and Nourish collection. (200ml for £7.19 - 19? seriously???) The product claims : Intense nourishment to enhance colour and shine. Advanced formula helps to amplify shine for maximum blonde impact. Suitable for natural, highlighted and colour-treated hair. I understand that with these sorts of products, they always leave your hair feeling clean but this was a pleasure to use. It recommends to leave it for 3-5minutes but I left it for 10-15 (as I do with most masks/treatments). This product has left my hair literally feeling like a baby's! I have highlighted hair, I use straighteners every day - naughty me - and blow dry my hair... If this can work for me, it can work for anyone. 10/10!


At the moment in Boots, you can buy any of the new Toni and Guy range for 3 for £10. I think this is a great range and I have already bought back-ups!


I hope you found this review helpful!


If you have any questions or if you have tried the range yourself let me know what you think?


Thank you for taking the time to read =)

Nicky
xo

Eye of the day : 1

Hello lovely readers!
Here is my make up from yesterday for you =)

On my eyes I am wearing...

- MAC Paint Pot in Genuine Treasure (limited edition) as a base
- MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked all over the lid up to the crease
- MAC Eyeshadow in Tempting through the crease and outer corner
- MAC Eyeshadow's Vanilla and Shroom as highlights
- Diorshow blackout water proof mascara x2 coats

I hope you like this eye of the day. I decided that just because Woodwinked shows up Orangey on me (damn you!) doesn't mean that I shouldn't use it. I found that wearing it with a colour like Tempting - a gold/brown - tones down the tone and makes it less Orange/amber. I'm loving this eyeshadow combo, and I have worn it twice this week =)

Do you have an eye of the day that I can look at?

Thank you for your time =)
Nicky
xo

Update on Weight

Hello lovely readers =)

This Friday will be the end of my second week of my new Life Style change - not diet, not becoming miserable, not a prison sentence.

As of this afternoon's look on the weighing scales, I have lost 9 pounds =D

When taking a look at the grand scheme of things it is a drop in the ocean but I am going to stay positive and celebrate this 9 pound loss!

I have worked hard so far and I am planning to continue this positive way of thinking and hopefully along side determination I will eventually reach my goal =)

So that is the Wednesday round up for you, if you are going through a weight loss at the moment please let me know, I'll be interested in how you are doing =)

Thank you for taking the time to read =)
Nicky
xo

Sunday is for reflection 4

Hey everyone and happy Sunday to you =)
Here we go...

1. My current routine in the evening consists of making a cup of tea for me and my boyfriend and absorbing every minute of Big Brother

2. My name is Nicky and I am a Big Brother addict *disappointed face*

3. I have been tweeting a lot more this week than I normally do and I'm enjoying it =)

4. Have had salad a few times this week and not sick/bored of it... Yet.

5. Barry M 'Rasberry' is a favourite of my fingertips

6. I'm half way through buying Christmas presents =)

7. My brother and his fiance found out they are having a girl this week xD

8. I discovered pictures of myself... Ranging over the past four years.

9. ...you can learn a lot about yourself just from photographs.

10. I love MAC Paint Pots =D

11. Tidying/de-cluttering my dressing room has been huge fun this past week...

12. ...the above statement isn't sarcastic believe it or not!

13. I have started writing a list of shopping items I want to get in my week off next month =)

14. 'Ringer' on Living is a new weekly tune-in for me. It's surprisingly thriller-ish

15. I am enjoying blogging, very much.

Please take a look at Dee's blog. I love her style of writing and also her dress sense is amazing. She is also so beautiful =)

Thank you for reading =)
Nicky
xo

My Journey so far...

After last weeks post regarding my weight 'issues' I had a feeling of relief. I think it was because I had been so honest about my feelings - which can be difficult to do face to face with someone.

So I've decided to make thins a bit of a series or a subject that I will be open to post about here. I feel like this will help me through my weight loss and also give me a portal to rant and share my experiences.

I hope that this will be interesting to people and I will always be glad to hear about your stories if they are similar or answer any questions.

This first week of my "Life change" as I am calling it has been tricky. As always the first few days are fairly easy and then temptation hits. I haven't done too badly though. I have sworn off crisps, chocolate and biscuits because if I have never failed at lent every year then I should be able to do it for myself. I feel like if I let myself eat these things, it will become a slippery slope, so cutting them out completely seems like the best way - for me personally - to move forward.

I have lost 2 pounds so far. I'm happy but not happy enough so it has given me the push to keep on track for the next week.

I'll keep you updated ;)

Do you have a story to share about weight? Or advice to give? Leave a comment below or if you don't want it shared, you can email me : nbeautyquest@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you for reading =)

Nicky

xo

What I discovered in September...

Another month has just flown by, so here's what I've learnt...

1. Loss does get better in time, you just have to remember the good things and try to smile

2. I love Ringer! Not particularly a Sarah Michelle Gellar fan but it's so twisted I'm hooked already!

3. Sunshine and heat in the last week of September? What the hell??

4. You know it's close to Christmas when you hit the 'ber' ending months...

5. If read as 'brrrrrr'... Pun intended ;)

6. Being surrounded by pregnant women is hard. You find yourself thinking about the future unwillingly!

7. New series of America's Next Top Model starting next week, I think the boyfriend is more excited than I am!

8. I love looking out of my window with a cold breeze blowing, it tells me that I'm nearly at the always exciting New Year

9. Watching a muted roulette wheel whilst trying to sleep with my boyfriend asking me every 2 minutes "Pick a number" is my favourite way to not sleep =)

10. Having a good old cry - even for no reason - really does make you feel 10 times better

What did you learn in the past month?

Thank you for your time =)

Nicky
xo