Autumnal Nail Faves - Five of The Best

For as long as I've been a beauty lover, I've been a huge polish fan too - maybe longer. While I don't dabble as much in the nail art end of things quite as much as I used to - blame ALL of the work I'm lucky enough to be doing - I still love to paint my talons on the daily. Yes, Summer colours are where my heart lie but there's just something about Autumnal shades that make that seasonal shift a little easier. Wouldn't you agree?

Essie Take It Outside

Essie's Take It Outside from their Fall '14 collection is easily the stand out nude of the year for me. Almost cast like in the bottle, this shade comes to life with purple and pink undertones once the light catches it. The unassuming shade is flattering on all skin tones and has been flattering mine on the regular these past weeks. 

Catrice Metalfusion

Catrice have never not impressed me when it comes to polishes. I can't count the amount of times I've sent pals and readers in the direction of their stands for high quality, cheap as chips polishes to suit all occasions. Metallure is the Autumn/Winter collection (more on that later) and Metalfusion here is the stand out lacquer for me. Opaque in one coat, stunning in two, this pewter foil wears like a polish 5 times it's €2.99 price. 

Essie Partner in Crime with China Glaze BOO-Gie Down

Talk about unassuming, Essie's Partner in Crime had to be the one from the collection that had me least enthused. I mean, it's brown. Straight up, no frills about it, brown. It's only when you paint it on that something magical happens - you realise that actually, you quite like brown. It's a stunning autumnal colour and with the aid of China Glaze's BOO-gie Down from their Halloween '13 collex, you get this gorgeous mani. It's one of my most liked Insta nail pics - who can argue with that?

Bourjois Violine Hypnotique

When it comes to autumn, nothing says seasonal nails quite like a rich burgundy metallic. Think Chanel's Rouge Noir but with a subtle microshimmer that lights up in sunlight. That and lasts a hella lot longer too. Bourjois' Violine Hypnotique has been a standing fave of mine since its introduction and is genuinely one that I look forward to wearing as the weather gets colder. It's also been known to make an appearance on my tootsies all year 'round. 

Nails Inc Porchester Square

The spendiest of the bunch and my second favourite nude, Nails Inc Porchester Square is a doozy. A dream to apply (Nails Inc know their brush shizz) this wears better than any nude I own. Though it's a beaut on its own, I can never help myself but add a little su'him 'su'him. The glitter here is an antique gold from a Claire's Accessories stack that probably cost a fiver for 10. BARG.AIN. That's the thing about autumnal nails, glitter is back in the game - choose your favourite base and go to town with complementing or contrasting colours. The world really is your glittery lobster. 


I could go on and on and Arist-on about favourite polishes but I'll leave my Autumn picks there... for now...

Tell us, what do you like to wear this time of year? If you have NOTD posts, sure the more's the better, pop you link in the comments below and we'll all take a squizz!

Sneak Preview of SpectaculART by Catrice

This teaser arrived in my inbox yesterday with a sneak preview of Catrice's Autumn Winter 2012 collection, SpectaculART. 

Catrice say that this limited edition collection is 'Inspired by crossover couture and the Indian Bindi look of the winter fashion season 2012.' The focus is on the eyes as eyeshadows in elegant metal shades offer dramatic eye make-up looks. 

The more eagle eyed and nail polish obsessed amongst us will have spotted this gold flake nail polish. If OPI's The Man with the Golden Gun 18k gold topcoat was a little out of your budget or inclination then this looks like a perfect replacement. 

SpectaculART from Catrice is expected to hit stands in Novemember.  

Will you be keeping an eye out? 

Spotlight on Highlighters: 5 of the Best

I often need all the help I can to look less like I've risen from a crypt in the morning and highlighters are just one of the secret weapons I use to bring a little brightness and luminescence to my otherwise tired fizzog. 

Regardless of the product in question, I use all highlighters similarly. 

• In a Power V (Make a V sign with your fingers, one under your brow, the other on your cheek bone & use them as a guide). 
• Down the centre of my schnozz to make my nose appear slimmer. 
• In my cupid's bow, to give me the illusion of fuller lips. 
• On the innermost corners of my eyes to widen them and appear more awake.
• On my décolletage with lower cut tops.

The market is completely saturated with products to help you bring a natural shine to specific areas of your face but I thought I'd show you my top 5. To be used sparingly of course, I made that mistake once and ended up like the Tin Man in search of a face cloth and a slap. 

MAC's Superb - €28

First up, MAC Superb from the In Extreme Dimension collection. This large pan is one of the only items I have ever queued in a MAC shop for. I rote about my grá for it here but since then it has just risen in my estimation. I'm using it as a highlighter, an eyeshadow and a body  brightener on my décolletage (as I am with each of these products). The rose gold luminous colour is one of the most flattering products I own.  

Benefit's High Beam - €26.50

Cult favourite and long time hanger outer in my kit, Benefit's High Beam is liquid light for your skin. It's soft pink shimmer blends out to an almost invisible but completely iridescent brightener and works wonders for a quick pick me up. 

Catrice Made to Stay Highlighter Pen - €3.29

 The cheapest of my picks, Catrice's new Made to Stay Highlighter Pen more than holds its own in the highlighting stakes. Coming in at €3.29, this soft, pale pink shimmer stick is twistable uppable and the ideal size for throwing into your mála for quick perk me ups during the day. It's staying power is fantastic and the shade will complement any skin tone. 

MAC SuperWatt - €18

The second MAC offering to make the luminous grade is SuperWatt from the recent Electric Cool collection. Technically this one is an eye shadow but boy what a product it is. It's a super soft creamy champagne taupe that lends itself easily to highlighting efforts on the rest of your kisser. It glides on effortlessly and seriously stays put all day. Even on your lids this won't crease or rub, I'm seriously impressed with SuperWatt. Seriously. 

TopShop Cheeks in Prism - €15

I seem to be mentioning Prism just about everywhere these days but that's not for nothing. A constant in my make up kit and a product I won't be without, TopShop have knocked it out of the park with their Cheeks range. I adore Prism but should you want a bronzer look, there's always Ray. There's definitely something for everyone in the light stakes when it comes to Cheeks. 

Remember you don't always need a product specifically designed to highlight in order to get the effect. Any light or frosted shadows will do the trick too. Never be afraid to play around with what's in your make up bag already. Have a bit of fun and see what works for you. 

Tell me, what are you using to light the highs of your face these days? 

My Picks from Essence & Catrice

Following on from Karen's outstanding dupe find for Deborah Lippmann's Across the Universe over on Lovely Girlie Bits I had to hot foot it to Dunnes to check it out. Had to.

Both Essence and Catrice have some fab offerings on the stands right now for €2.69 and €1.29 respectively. Rude.Not. To.


Fancy a goo?




Blues Brother Vol. ll. A deep royal navy with bright blue shimmer.





Marylin & Me. A sumptuous red with bright micro red glitter. The perfect Crimbo season polish.

After Eight. An intense black, grey, teal metallic with more than a sniff of Chanel Black Pearl!

High Spirits is a light khaki with silverish sheen. Vay understated. 

Let's Get Lost. A bright, bright blue, really beautiful in real life. 

Just in Case is a bronzey, brown metallic. Can be built up for a deeper colour. 

Sure Azure is a pastel sky blue with a whitish/silver sheen. Will be featuring in upcoming NOTD, folks!

In Style is navy, teal metallic. Much like Catrice's After Eight but different enough to make me part with €1.29. It might be my favourite of the whole bunch.

Time for Romance is a raspberry pink semi tranluscent with hexagonal & micro pink glitters. Beautiful alone or over pinks e.g. Sally Hansen Raisin the Bar (above). 

Finally the polish that I came for. Blue Addicted is the Deborah Lippmann dupe. A transluscent blue with blue  & green hexagonal & micro glitters. Would be perfect for a Galaxy mani, non?

Anything tickle your fancy? 

That's a Lorra Lipgloss!

Changing over my bag on Sunday I pulled out a lipgloss, then another, then another.. repeat to fade..

I knew I had a difficulty with product piggery but how, in the name of God, did I end up with 9 lipglosses in one bag? Nine!

Realising that this was just the tip of my lipgloss iceberg I was tempted to count my entire collection then realising, in turn, that that may stop me buying any more I decided against. 

Lets have a looksie at the 'few' I've been carting around shall we? 

L-R:
L'Oréal 6hr Glamshine in Hold on Rose: This is a lot pinker than the swatch would have you believe. Non sticky & long lasting, nowhere near 6 hours long but long nonetheless. I happen to have 3, in this shade my love is so great for 'em. Great daytime colour. 

Essence XXXL Shine, would love to tell you the colour of this one but Essence aren't known for packaging that survives the belly of handbags. This blends to a lovely berry plum with a silver shimmer, bit sticky but great colour. 

Lancome Juicy Tube mini in Fraise, it's been a while since I've abandoned Juicy Tubes for their sticky ways and hair catching annoyance but this one is a lovely pick me up colour. 

Essence XXXL Shine in Big Night Out, this is a lovely nude pink, part of their new Nude range, funnily enough, that I happen to have several of. Their non sticky and taste like sweeties. Their longevity is not the best but, again, they taste like sweeties. 

Catrice Colour Show, a clear gloss with golden shimmer, lovely as an over gloss for lipstick and almost gone! (Must pick up another one)

Estée Lauder High Gloss in Berry, these are probably some of my fave glosses ever made. Great colour choice, not an ounce of stickiness and a biscuity sweet taste. This happens to be one of a pack of 6 minis. That's not mentioning the full size ones. 

Smashbox O Gloss Noir, this is a blackish gloss in the tube but changes colour according to your own lip colour. Turns out as a lovely berry colour on my kisser. Hugely expensive (€26) for what it is so while I'll never replace it, I loves it. 

Smashbox Limitless Lipstain & Colour Seal Balm in Berry. This stain is a felt tip one end and a corresponding  balm on t'other. I wanted to love this, I really did but with the dried up felt tip (after only 6 weeks) I just don't reach for this one. Hence the languishing at the end of my bag status. 

Essence XXXL Nude, another of the nude range. Sweeties. That is all. 

Having cleared out my bag & some of my conscience, I'm feeling a bit better. 

Any of these catch your fancy? Want to make me feel better & count your glosses and/or your own product obsesh? G'wan...