How to Save Money When Online Shopping!

Just a quick post to let you know i'm a member of Top Cashback and it is a great way of saving money on the things you buy online. Why don't you join too? (It is completely free).

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/dAaKu2
 
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MAC Rodarte Petition to Help Women of Juarez

I wanted to tell you about a petition Olivia (from healingbeauty.com) and other bloggers involved in the Rodarte-MAC affair have put together. I know everyone is quite exhausted by the Rodarte-MAC affair this week, however we wanted to give it one last push, as I for one think they could do a lot more to help the women of Juarez.

We feel that $100,000 is not enough of a contribution from such a huge global company. I also think that changing the names will only sweep the issue under the carpet for MAC and does nothing to raise awareness of the femicides and exploitation in Juarez.
Here is the petition which explains this fully - http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/macrodarte

Thanks so much for your support; its wonderful that the online beauty community have come together to support such a worthy cause. Thank you X

I need your help please!

hey everyone!

Hope your all well. I've been entered into a modelling competition and need your help!! If you can spare a few seconds I would be really grateful if you wouldnt mind voting for me?

here is the link.....http://www.yorkshiremodel.co.uk/catherine.html


thank you xxxx

M.A.C / Rodarte's Response to Pressure from Online Community

In light of my previous post on the M.A.C/Rodarte Collection, both M.A.C and Rodarte have now responded to the controversy discussed the outrage on 60+ beauty blogs over the weekend.
With pressure from the beauty blogging community as well as customers, M.A.C. responded with another statement today to the effect that they are donating $100,000 to a non-profit organisation to help improve the lives of women in Juarez and that it was changing the product names and Rodarte have also issued an apology.

Statement from MAC:"We understand that product names in the M•A•C Rodarte collection have offended our consumers and fans. This was never our intent and we are very sorry. We continue to listen carefully to the comments we have received and have the following plans to address concerns:

We are committed to donating $100,000 to a non-profit organization that has a proven, successful track-record helping women in need and that can directly improve the lives of women in Juarez in a meaningful way.


We are changing the product names in the M•A•C Rodarte collection. As we have done in the past, please be assured that we will communicate details regarding our progress in this matter. "

Apology from Rodarte:

"We recognize that the violence against women taking place in Juarez needs to be met with proactive action. We never intended to make light of this serious issue and we are truly sorry.

Helping to improve the conditions for women in Juarez is a priority for us and we are thankful for all the comments calling attention to the urgency of addressing this situation."

I’d like to thank everyone who has voiced their opinions over this matter and it has shown how powerful beauty bloggers are on influencing decision makers! Whilst its good that MAC have responded and are donating some money to charity, is this enough? Has this decision come too late?

I'd be interested in knowing your opinions on the matter?

NOTD - Eyeko Saucy Polish

Todays Nail of the Day is Eyeko Saucy Polish which is a classic scarlet red! Eyeko have recently released 2 new Nail Polishes: Rain Polish for City Nails and Saucy Polish for Naughty Girls, both of which are limited edition.

Eyeko Polish features a nail friendly formula that is Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP and Camphor free which is good news! The varnish was thin in consistency but so highly pigmented that only one coat was needed and it dried to a smooth finish. I  adore the dinky sized cute bottles and this is a perfect' sophisticated shade is such a  red for Autumn/Winter nails.

What do you think?

Eyeko Saucy Polish is currently available priced at £3.50 from http://www.eyeko.com/ If you enter my special Ambassador Code : E6670 you shall recieve a free gift with your order.

MAC Rodarte Collection Controversy

There has been a great deal of heated debate over the up-and-coming M.A.C/Rodarte Collaboration for Fall 2010 (due out September) which is causing controversy in the beauty blogging world. The Rodarte fashion collection has been inspired by the Mexican town of Juarez, which is notorious for its poverty, criminal activity and sweatshops which employ young women and teenagers. Many of these women have been raped and murdered and the police and government have refused to take action.

Fellow bloggers are shocked with the insensitive nature M.A.C has approached the new collection. Many feel that M.A.C are glorifying female rapes and murders with the promotional images from the collection showing a ‘death-like’ ghostly white lady. It is also extremely unacceptable that M.A.C have named some of the products ‘Juarez’; ‘Factory’; ‘Ghost Town’. The criticism towards M.A.C and Rodarte has become so wide-spread that they have both issued statements:

MAC: “We understand that product names in the MAC Rodarte collection have offended some of our consumers and fans. This was never our intent and we are very sorry. We are listening carefully to the comments posted and are grateful to those of you who have brought your concerns to the forefront of our attention. MAC will give a portion of the proceeds from the MAC Rodarte collection to help those in need in Juarez. We are diligently investigating the best way to do this. Please be assured that we will keep you posted on the details regarding our efforts. “

Rodarte: “Our makeup collaboration with MAC developed from inspirations on a road trip that we took in Texas last year, from El Paso to Marfa. The ethereal nature of this landscape influenced the creative development and desert palette of the collection. We are truly saddened about injustice in Juarez and it is a very important issue to us. The MAC collaboration was intended as a celebration of the beauty of the landscape and people in the areas that we travelled. “

What a PR fail! Whilst its good that MAC have took the criticism on board and are taking the matter seriously, it is still very disappointing that they are still profiting from others sadness. I believe ALL of their profits from the collection should be donated to charity, not just a percentage, similar to how mac supports charity with MAC Viva Glam.

What are your opinions on this collection?

Read other Beauty Bloggers thoughts on this collection:
http://www.mizzworthy.com/; http://www.britishbeautyblogger.com/, http://www.bangsandabun.com/ ; http://www.ladyofthelane.com/; http://www.bigfashionista.blogspot.com/;  http://www.bigfashionista.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.sofarsochic.co.uk/;  http://www.makeupsavvy.co.uk/;  http://www.sofarsochic.co.uk/; http://www.lesalondebeaute.com/;  http://www.getlippie.com/;  http://www.londonbeautyqueen.blogspot.com/; http://www.londonbeautyqueen.blogspot.com/;  http://www.makeuploveer.blogspot.com/; http://www.sparklesandbows.blogspot.com/, http://www.healingbeauty.co.uk/ ; http://www.reallyree.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.just-nice-things.co.uk/; http://www.musicalhouses.blogspot.com/, http://lilooblog.blogspot.com/;  http://www.ditzymake-up.blogspot.com/ http://www.clairewaterworth.tumblr.com/ , http://www.beautymouth.com/

Sorry if ive missed you off the list....please write your link in the comments below or tweet me x

MAC Haul: In the Groove

Since I'd heard lots of great reviews online about the 'In the Groove' collection and couldnt get to a MAC counter to see the collection for myself, I decided to order a few bits from the MAC website. This was the first time I've placed an order with MAC online and I was quite impressed with the service, my package was shipped to me within 2 days of ordering and my items came nicely presented in a box and wrapped in paper tissue. My only gripe would be that the images of the products on the website are extremly misleading and that is what has stopped me from ordering before: myself like many others prefer to see the makeup in the flesh and get chance to swatch before buying. 

So onto the good stuff.....First of all I ordered a couple of products from MAC mainline range: MAC Fix + which I have lustered after for a while and im sure will be getting alot of use over the summer, and MAC 'Bronze' eyeshadow which is a lovely bronzey/gold/brown.  

I ordered 'Jazzed' Lipstick with im very pleased with, its a beautiful soft peachy coral (not orange like the picture on the MAC site suggests) and I love the creamsheen finish. I bought a backup as I had good hope that I would like this lipstick and I knew it would sell-out quickly after seeing swatches on various blogs. It works well with my skintone and I have had so many compliments when ive worn this....this is definately the star product of the collection.

From Left to Right: I Like it Like That, Jazzed, Lady Gaga

 I got 'Like It Like That' lipstick which is a lovely cool toned dark pink which has a gorgeous creamy consistency and so flattering on my skintone, i'm not usually a huge fan of the blue-toned pinks.

From Left to Right: I Like it Like That, Jazzed, Lady Gaga

I also got another MAC Viva Glam Lady Gaga Lipstick as I Love this creamy barbie pinky shade!

Here is how MAC Viva Glam Lady Gaga looks on the lips:

What do you think of MAC collections? Should I also get 'Stereo Rose' MSF ?

Primark’s new £6 cleavage-boosting bras!

I love my Victoria Secret's famous 'Boob Job' bra (RRP $50 each) as recommended to me by lollipop26 so much I ended up buying 3 in black, beige and pink when I was in New York last December they really are amazing at boosting boobs up to two cup sizes....shame they only sell these bras in USA :(

I was really excited to hear today that good old Primark are bringing out a similar cleavage boosting bra for a purse-friendly £6!

The Maximise Your Assets bra is made from foam pads that shape around what nature provided, and at the same time giving you a realistic shape with fantastic cleavage. The bras will arrive in stores from 9th August and will come in black, caramel, cerise, red and navy as well as animal print, polka dot and lace.

Ooh, cant wait to check these out!

Lovea Tahitian Monoi Moisturising Body Lotion My Pure Review

No doubt your getting a bit bored of all these My Pure blogger reviews...Sorry guys I know its not much fun reading 50 posts about the same product! However, from next month we shall be receiving products tailored to our needs/skin and hair types, so we should be seeing a good mix of reviews in the blogging community. This month’s products for review are: A’kin Lavender Conditioner which you can read about here and the Lovea Tahitian Monoi Moisturising Body Lotion.

All products sold by MyPure, and products by Lovea contain no sulphates, parabens or phthalates. I thought the recyclable packaging was nice and bright perfect for summer and really liked the non-messy pump action dispenser. The lotion is thin and light-weight yet it moisturises well and my skin feels well hydrated after use but not at all greasy. The lotion absorbs quickly in to the skin and leaves a light scented flowery coconut perfume – not over-powering and reminds me very much of holidays. The lotion contains Tahitia Monoi which is a form of coconut oil and is used to soften skin and hair.


This lotion is priced at £6.99 for 200ml so good value for a good quality natural product free from harsh chemicals you can purchase from here.

A'kin Lavender & Jojoba Conditioner My Pure Review

I really love that everything sold at MyPure is sulphate free, paraben free and phthalate free. Although the organic shampoo I tested last month didn’t work out well for me, I had high hopes for this conditioner as the description sounded wonderful on the website. ‘A’kin Jojoba & Lavender conditioner combines certified organic lavender flower extract combined with cold pressed Australian jojoba to provide light conditioning and natural lustre to fine or oily hair'. I would describe my hair as fine, although its curly, but I have lots of it so it appears thicker.

I absolutely loved it's scent of lavender and this conditioner is very relaxing to use at night-time. It smells strongly of lavender I have to add, so those who are not a fan of strongly scented products or lavender will not enjoy using this conditioner. It was very light-weight and creamy in texture. It left my hair feeling clean and shiny but I felt like it needed some extra condition personally.

I think this conditioner is best-suited for someone with normal/fine/oily hair that wants a light-weight conditioner for washing their hair every day. My hair is on the dry side and I don’t wash it every day so when I do I like to use a treatment or intensive conditioner, this one is just too light for me. Priced at £7.49 I would rather invest a couple more pounds and purchase Keratase for my hair than to re-purchase this conditioner.

For more information on this product you can find HERE. I have also noticed that this conditioner is currently on offer 3 for 2 on the MyPure website.

I hope this was a helpful review for you. If you have tried any of the other A'kin products then please let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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OPI I'm Suzy & Im a Chocoholic

 Todays Nails of the Day is 'I'm Suzy & Im a Chocoholic' from the up-and-coming OPI Swiss Collection due out late September for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. This is a perfect deep rich chocolate brown shade which is effortlessly easy to apply and with one coat has a smooth finish, highly pigmented and flawless. It is such a chic glossy colour I have been recieving many compliments so its no surprise its fast becoming one of my favourites in my collection. I love the name too as some might say im also a Chocoholic! You can read about the 12 shades for chalet-chic nails here in my special preview and can check out my 'Glitterland' nails here.

Available from http://www.opi.com/ RRP: £9.95

What do you think? Will you be sporting Chalet Chic nails over the winter months?
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Goldfingers using OPI Swiss Collection Glitterland

Todays Nails of the Day is 'Glitterland' from the up-and-coming OPI Swiss Collection due out late September for Autumn/Winter 2010/11. This is a gorgeous super glittery gold which is quite sheer on application so 3 coats were needed to build up a flawless finish. Although this polish is super glittery it is rather chic and sophisticated than being tacky like some cheaper glitter polishes on the market. You can read about the 12 shades for chalet-chic nails here in my special preview.

On the Left: Glitterland, & on the right we have I'm Suzi & I'm a Chocoholic

Available from http://www.opi.com/  RRP: £9.95

What do you think?

Also do you like my new Blog layout/background?

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OPI Swiss Collection for Autumn/Winter 2010 Preview

I have been lucky to get a sneek preview of the up-and-coming new OPI Autumn/Winter 2010/11 Swiss Collection which is due to be launched September 2010. This gorgeous collection boasts 12 shades for chalet-chic nails which will have fashionistas yodelling all the way to the Alps.

Diva of Geneva - Vibrant pink-red

Ski Teal We Drop - There are mountains of colour in this blue

Color So Hot it Berns - A warm red

Cuckoo For this Color - Go crazy round the clock for the dark bottle green

Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous - A stunning Pewter

William Tell me About OPI - A crisp black purple

Yodel me on my cell - A bright blue

From A to Z-urich - A rich ruby to go with everything

Glizerland - Glittering swiss gold

I'm Suzi & I'm a Chocoholic - A rich, addictive brown 

The Color to Watch - It's the perfect time for this delicate lilac

Just a little Rosti at this time - A brandy red

What are your favourite shades in this collection?

Watch out for some swatches coming soon....

Available from http://www.opi.com/ RRP: £9.95
*Images are copyright to OPI and used with Permission of their PR company

Please Vote for me in the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards!

 

Cosmopolitan is launching the first ever Cosmopolitan Blog Awards and I need your votes!! Ive voted for a few of my favourite blogs, so please return the favour and vote for me please if you enjoy reading my blog :)

How to vote:
1. Click on the link HERE
2. Select the relevant category 'Beauty' from the drop down list.
3. Paste in my URL - http://www.perfectly-polished-nails.com/
4. And simply say why you like my blog :)

Thank you X

Brighton Beach Nails

My Nails of the Day for my Weekend in Brighton were Nails Inc Beach - its a lovely bright pillar box red with a slight orange hint.

This shade would look awesome with a tan - and best of all it was free with May's Issue of Instyle Magazine! It may be hard to get hold of this shade now as it was limited edition but there are similar shades out there such as POP 'Strawberry' which is a similar bright red without the orange tint, which featured here.

Here are a few snaps from our weekend in Brighton, cant wait to visit again :)

Aussie Fairy Tale Party

I was lucky enough to be invited by the lovely Liloo to her Fairy-Tale themed Aussie Angels Party for those Lucky Girls Blessed with Lucious Long Locks! The party was held at the swish Avalon Bar in Shoreditch which was the perfect fairytale venue...and typically we were still running late despite the hotel being across the road from the bar!

With Cinderella and Snow White!

We were greeted by the lovely girls from Aussie - Emma, Curly Katy, and Uber-tanned Lisa with a glass of champage. Myself and Liloo were wearing fairy wings and wands and were pleased to see a few of the other girls had dressed up too :)

Katy & Myself

First of all Emma welcomed us and Amber and Zara the fabulous hairstylists demonstrated a couple of hair styles such as a big side bun and up-dos with lots of volume and shared a their tips to keep long luscious locks in order.

Amber & Zara at work!

We were treated to cocktails and nibbles throughout the evening and we were all invited to have our hair styled where we could chat and ask questions to the hairstylists. Zara styled my hair and gave me a messy version of the fish-tail plait which I loved and even Michelle Heaton commented that she loved it when we met her later at her birthday party! We also wrote our top hair tips for the Aussie hairstyle bible that shall be created from all the Aussie Hair Tribe Parties.

Heres a closer look at my fish tail plait

Here is a group pic that I stole from Emmas Blog! 

No fairytale party would be complete without a few Disney Characters making an appearance...and they all stayed in character all night which was hilarious. At first when I spotted Snow White I presumed it was another blogger who had gone a bit OTT with her fancy-dress costume! Prince Charming had all the girls around him and when Cinderella came over to speak to us I thought she was being serious when she said she had lost her shoe – I was helping her look for it on the floor hahaha!

Prince Charming

We were given goodybags containing the Aussie Long Hair Leave-in conditioner, chocolates, and a princess crown which was a lovely touch. All the Aussie Angels left before midnight before they turned into pumpkins but myself and Liloo went to an afterparty where we met Michelle Heaton who was lovely and randomly Vanessa Feltz was there!

Michelle Heaton, Vanessa Feltz and that guy from Fats & Small

Nice Handbag!

Aussie Lucious Long Collection

I cant wait to try these Aussie Products as they are smell so good, and to re-create the fish-tail plait and messy bun at home. Thanks to Aussie for hosting yet another fabulous event we had so much fun and was great to catch up with the other Aussie Angels!

What are your fav Aussie Products?
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Want Whiter Teeth by Using a Body Cream?!

Ever tried Brushing your Teeth with a Body Cream? No? Well this morning on Twitter I heard from LovelyisLovely that you can use Karin Herzog’s Oxygen cream to brush your teeth to make them appear whiter! Sounds odd yes but it actually works!

Apparently clinical trials have proven that using the oxygen cream as a tooth paste can improve problems like receding gums, gingivitis and periodontal disease. As oxygen creams are mildly antiseptic they will help prevent decay and the mouth feels super-clean afterwards, plus teeth will gradually become whiter.

Last summer I used the Crest Whitening Strips which were very effective, however I hated the taste of the bleach and only used them for 3 days just to brighten up my smile as I had heard reports that they can make teeth sensitive. So after hearing about this Karin Herzog Tip I thought I would give it a go!

I had a good feeling that this cream would work, as I’ve noticed when I apply onto my body, it seems to have a slight bleaching effect on my skin. This cream is very safe to use on the teeth as their products don’t contain any preservatives or parabens, so far safer than using bleaching agents!

I applied a small amount of the 4% Karin Herzog Oxygen Body Cream onto my toothbrush (I use the Sensodyne Pronamel toothbrush) and worked into my teeth and gums. It has no taste what-so-ever. After brushing for about 2 minutes I left the cream on my teeth for a couple more minutes so that the cream would foam up and work its magic. I then rinsed and brushed my teeth with my normal minty toothpaste. Amazingly my teeth felt super clean and brighter afterwards! I shall definitely be continuing with this regime.

For more information on Karin Herzog products you can visit http://www.karinherzog.co.uk/

Try it and let me know how you get on!

Revlon Cherries in the Snow

Todays Nail of the Day is an old favourite of mine - Revlon Cherries in the Snow. This is a gorgeous classy cherry red with a hint of pink. I love Revlon polishes they are really good quality, super easy to apply, lovely finish and long lasting.

What are your favourite Revlon Shades?

Get Green-Fingered for Wimbledon!

Hello Girls,

Sorry there has been a lack of blog posts from me recently - I promise you i'll be back on track once work calms down a bit and i've sorted my tax-return! Last weekend I spent in Brighton and spur of the moment decided to go to Wimbledon to catch a few games of tennis....along with a few glasses of Pimms and Strawberries & Cream...

Which brings me onto this post.....Boutique Nail Spa 'Nailgirls' have brought out a new wimbledon-inspired Green Emerald Nail Polish. I'll be honest, this wouldnt normally be a shade that I would go for - but I found it surprisingly wearable. The varnish is really simple to apply, but quite sheer so 3 coats were needed to build up the colour, the finish is lovely and smooth. I shall definately be checking out some other shades in their collection.

Its not just the colour that's 'green'- all of the nailgirls formulas are free from Toluene, Formaldehyde, Camphor and Dibutyl Phthalate, making them safe, ethical and environmentally friendly. Show some support for Wimbledon and indulge in your greener side!

What do you think of my green-fingered nails?