Thank you :)

Just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has followed my blog! I appreciate it so much. I have got from 0 to 65 followers in under two weeks and I'm thrilled! I have had some really lovely comments. Also, I'm doing exams at the moment at uni and working lots so I haven't been and won't be doing as many posts. Last one is next week which is exciting and then my Summer can begin. Lots more nail posts to come as they have gone down really well! X

Weekly Wants: Zara bags

At the moment, like many of you girlies I am LOVING Zara bags. I recently got the Messenger Bag with Edging online, there has been so much hype about it I just couldn't resist, absolute bargain at £19.99 too. The photos on Zara's website did not do it justice and shows it to be a loads lighter grey than it actually is. Loving the rose gold details on it too. I haven't used it yet as I am waiting for a nice sunny day to show it off!

This post will show my four favourite bags from Zara, which are all available now on the Zara website here.

Images from Zara Website: Messenger Bag with Edging in Grey.

Clockwise from Top Left: 1. Studded Clutch with Clasp Fastening: £69.99, 2. Plaited Shopper in Petrol Blue: £89.99, 3. Bucket Bag with Double Handle: £19.99, 4. Messenger Bag with Metallic Fastener: £49.99.

1. The Studded Clutch has to be my favourite, the neutral colour is perfect for Summer and the studs will toughen up any outfit.

2. The shopper bags have been soooo popular in the tan and black that I think the blue is nice as its a bit different.

3. This bag just looks like it would be a great slouchy bag for shopping as it has loads of room for bits and pieces!

4. I'm generally drawn to quite rectangular structured bags and I loveee this one. Really like the clasp detail and love the colour of it.

Are there any shops in particular you are loving this week? What do you think of Zara's collections at the moment?

24/7 Concealer

Want to try and vary my posts a bit so today I'll be writing about my favourite concealer! I have tried a ridiculous amount of brands and types of concealers. I either find they are too drying, don't last long enough or just don't have a good enough colour range until I found this one...Urban Decay's 24/7 Concealer Pencil, can't even remember how I stumbled across this but I am SO glad I did. It is a pencil concealer that covers blemishes and can cover under-eye dark circles when you've had a heavy night (always handy!). The concealer has a really creamy consistency which for me is really important, it glides on effortlessly and blends in so well, but then dries matte and stays in place for hours! I really like that it's in a pencil so you don't have to flaff around with an applicator or pot etc, just pop the top off and that's that! It also means it's really easy to apply precisely and can be used on blemishes or blended into larger areas of skin, for example, I have reaallly rosy cheeks and usually want to neutralise that a bit so I can put blusher on my cheeks where I want it or so I can contour better with bronzer, so I draw a few lines on each cheek after foundation and blend it in. All you need is a big eye pencil sharpener as it does need sharpening every now and then!

The concealer comes in 8 shades which I think provides a good range and my best match is FBI. It is £12.00 which is obviously more than the high-street brands in Boots but I think its well worth it and you get what you pay for! I haven't photographed my own one because I need a new one soon and it doesn't look as pretty as it once did!

Image from Urban Decay website.

£12.00 from Urban Decay counters.
I got mine from House of Fraser here.

Have you tried this? What are your favourite concealers?!

                                                                

Pick 'n' Mix

I love beauty products in general but judging by my collection...nail varnish is my true beauty passion! I think something as simple as having neat nails makes a big difference to someones overall appearance because it shows attention to detail, don't know if that sounds silly or not! By adding colour and design to nails it can spice up an outfit or tie in accessories to an outfit. I NEVER have bare nails unless I'm swapping nail varnish, which must be really bad for nails but I just feel naked. I always make sure I use a base coat to try and protect my nails as much as possible. My post on my choice of base coat/top coat is here: http://bellabellebeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/first-base.html

I've been looking for different ways to do my nails as having them all one colour all the time can get a bit boring for me, specially when you do them as often as me! I've started having my ring finger nail a different colour, patterns, multi-coloured or 'ombre' nails. 

I bought some nail guide stickers on eBay and once you've got the hang of using them its so easy. I usually paint my nails first, and wait at least a few hours or a day before sticking the sticker on otherwise when you take it off it takes some of the nail varnish with it. Basically you stick the sticker on paint the base/tip of your nail with a different colour and then peel the sticker off! Easy Peasy! I have put some photos of what I did with mine and some photos of the other styles I'm loving at the moment below. 

OPI Designer...De Better with Revlon's Plum Attraction which is one of favourite nail varnishes ever! 

OPI for Sephora: Casting Call with OPI Designer De...Better tips.

Revlon Passion Fruit (I think!) with OPI Designer...De Better.

Ombre light pink to dark purple: 17 Sweet Kisses, Rimmel Strawberry Fizz, Barry M 110, Revlon Passion Fruit and Revlon Plum attraction.

Accent glitter ring finger nails: No7's Cheeky Chops with Models Own Pink Fizz.

Multi-coloured: L-R. No7 Cheeky Chops, Barry M 110, Rimmel Peppermint,  Rimmer Strawberry Fizz.

Multi-coloured nails on a night out. I love Vodka Revolution...

I want to experiment with my nail art brushes and dotting tools soon so keep an eye out for new nail posts. Love experimenting with different designs.
                                                               

Cat Eyes

I live in black eyeliner. I hardly ever even leave the house without it on, I think it looks feminine and glamourous along with defining the eyes and making them 'POP'...if it is done right of course! I've tried liquid liners, gel liners, pencil liners and felt tip type liners but of all of the types and ones I've tried this is my favourite. Soap & Glory's "Supercat".  I have tried and loved so many of Soap & Glory's products so was so pleased when they released a cosmetics range late last year. I haven't tried much of the range yet but it all looks lovely. The packaging is feminine and fun and really reasonably priced. The eyeliner has a marker tip so is really easy to make defined and accurate lines and curves. As you can see in my photos below the liner is an intense black and has a glossy finish which I really like. It is long-lasting and doesn't flake or crack like a lot of eye-liners I have tried. It isn't waterproof but it won't budge with a bit of rain. When I ran a bath I noticed when my hand (with the line on for the photo) got wet it didn't budge at all but is really easy to remove with make-up remover. Couldn't recommend this highly enough, already got my friends on board!

This is what Soap & Glory have to say about it:

"Featuring our unique INKJET™ colour release & Gloss–Fix™ finish to give a rich and intense colour. The foolproof marker tip creates two looks - Fine point for a natural look or thick edge adds a dramatic flash! Uses long lasting, long wear pigments plus a high percentage of carbon black for intense colour release."

Image: from Soap & Glory website.

After having water splashed on.

Boots: £6.00

                                                                

Good Hair Daze

Hey beauties, just wanted to do a post on my favourite hair products and the ones I have being using most recently. Will do my favourite beauty products soon. I think looking after your hair is reaaallly important as it's one of those that everyone notices, everyone sees and is always on show (unless you can pull off a hat...I CANNOT). Every girl I know has good and bad hair days but everyone wants to have more good than bad! Personally I like my hair look healthy and shiny, be full of volume and smell yummy and fresh. The four products I am going to write about each do a different job.

L-R: 1. Got2b Heat Protection, 2. Got2b 2 Sexy Mousse, 3. Batiste Dry Shampoo & 4. Bed Head Headrush.

1. First of all protecting my hair  is really important as it's getting really long and prone to split ends and damage! I use Schwarzkopf Got2 Guardian Angel Heat Protection spray which claims to protect hair up to 220°C. This product smells lovely and fresh and I love it! Definitely think I'd have more split ends if I didn't use it as I blow-dry and straighten my hair so often! I squirt my whole head with it when I've towel dried my hair and then I blow-dry it and style it. i wouldn't recommend putting it on dry hair as it would probably go a bit sticky and then damage your hair if you then straighten it damp, which defeats the object of using it in the first place!

2. As I have long hair I have the problem of trying to keep it from going flat as it's so heavy. I have tried SOOOO many things to create volume in my hair. Even back-combing and putting loads of hairspray ends up just flattening out and un-back-combing itself! I have also tried loads of different mousses before this one and they've been heavy or sticky, made my hair look oily or had no effect. This one...is by FAR the best volumising product I've ever used. The mousse itself smells fruity and delicious and I usually use two big squirts of it throughout my hair...I used to avoid putting products in my roots but I put this in my roots and throughout the lengths of my hair. I comb the product through and then blow-dry my hair roughly then upside down to add more volume. It does exactly what it says on the tin...literally! Big volume! 

3. Before I talk about this product I just want to say that I have definitely not always been a fan of dry shampoo. I got in to a bad habit of washing my hair every day, which I know is bad because it washes away all the natural oils etc. I just love the feeling of freshly washed hair and have always hated dry shampoo, it smelt funny (the standard dry shampoo smell), made my head itchy and made my hair grey. I am now in the viscous hair washing circle where if I don't wash it every day it doesn't look as nice and gets oily and if I do then I'm going to have to keep washing it everyday. I have now found a dry shampoo that I LIKE. Batiste have so many different dry shampoos now, even ones for different coloured hair. I think I have mainly been won over by the packaging and the scent as ultimately I'm sure it is more or less the same product inside the bottle as it was when I tried it and wasn't a fan. For some reason I have always loved cherry print, I think its cute and kitsch. The scent is lush and obviously fruity as it smells like cherries. To be honest I'd much rather wash my hair but it just takes so long so definitely be reaching for this every now and then! It also adds a bit of texture and volume to roots too, so could even use it even if you don't have oily roots just to freshen the style up a bit! I have seen some stuff on the new one Batiste are launching called "lace," which I will have to try too maybe!

From Batiste website.

4. I have done a full post on Headrush here: http://bellabellebeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/head-rush.html but briefly it is a super fine shine spray, smells amazing and makes hair soft and very shiny! The perfect finishing product.

1. Got2b Heat Protection: £4.05 from Boots

2. Got2b Big Volume Mousse: £4.05 from Boots

3. Batiste Dry Shampoo: £2.99 from Boots

4. Bed Head Headrush: £12.70 from Feel Unique for 200ml

http://www.feelunique.com/p/TIGI-Bed-Head-Headrush-Shine-Spray-200ml

                                                             

Impassioned

My absolute favourite lipsticks are MAC lipsticks, which is a big claim coming from a lipstick lady like myself. I'm going to talk about my newest addition to my collection which is 'Impassioned'. MAC describe it as an "amped-up fuchsia" but I actually think it has the perfect mixture of red, pink and an orange/coral tinge. Even my house-mate complimented me on it and asked "Is that red or pink?!" Impassioned is an Amplified Creme lipstick so is a really intense and long wearing lipstick but smooth and also quite moisturising. It also stains the lips evenly so looks nice for ages. This is the sort of colour that looks amazing on pale skin and tanned skin. I have a range of different finishes, including Frost, Satin and Glaze but this is my first Amplified Creme lipstick and it is by far my favourite finish. I love vibrant lipsticks and the photos I have taken don't do it justice! 


It is the also the lipstick I'm wearing in my photo on the right of the page. Need to start using my digital camera instead of iPhone!

I'll do a post on the other ones I have soon as I loooove rattling on about them.

WITH FLASH

WITHOUT FLASH

ON MY LIPS

MAC: £13.50 but worth it...

Head Rush

Hello beauts, this has to be one of my favourite hair products ever...I discovered this about 4 or 5 years ago now and I'm still using it which says it all really but of course that won't be all! 

I'm talking about Tigi's Bed Head Headrush, which is the most delicious shine spray. It is a lightweight super fine spray that makes hair shiny, stops static and makes hair smell INCREDIBLE. If they brought a perfume out that smells like it i'd be alllll over it! Apparently it also adds depth to highlights and colour but I have 'virgin hair' (named by my hairdresser...not me!) which means it hasn't been coloured so I wouldn't know! 

The only problem is that it is on the pricey side, specially when there is so much competition from the high street brands now, but I've been completely won over by the product in general, including the scent and the packaging and I fork out for it every time it runs out. It is currently £12.70 on feelunique.com for 200ml so I did a bit of investigating on Google and found some different websites offering it a bit cheaper and also a website selling 300ml 'Biggie' sizes for £13 something, but they've sold out now unfortunately. Sometimes feelunique have 2 for 1 deals on this product and have also sold the 'biggie' in the past but they are currently sold out too but worth checking back! This will last me ages and is too yummy to forget about!

Feel Unique: £12.70 for 200ml
http://www.feelunique.com/p/TIGI-Bed-Head-Headrush-Shine-Spray-200ml

Originally found my 'Biggie' at http://www.lookfantastic.com/tigi-bed-head-biggie-headrush-300ml/10551926.html

Metallics: The Nail Varnish

Another nail varnish post already?! Yep. OBSESSED. This means I bought 4 nail varnishes in one week...did I NEED them? Definitely not. But I realllly wanted them and don't seem to have much will power when it comes to make-up and spending. Plus 2 for £8.00 for Models Own in Boots was just TOO tempting.

I went for Mystic Mauve which is lilac metallic with a silvery shimmer. I'm loving almost anything metallic at the moment. As there was a deal on I couldn't resist getting another one and all the glittery ones were beaut. Decided I'd go for one that complimented the metallic so I could layer the glitter over the metallic for an even more metallicy finish. I love glitter nail varnish because it has loads better staying power than normal nail varnish...but then a nightmare to remove. This is where my new 'magic' nail varnish remover comes in. 

I have seen quite a few posts about the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover but wanted to talk about how it is at taking off glitter nail varnish as it is such a nightmare. Sometimes it even hurts to take off with cotton wool as its so stuck on! I wouldn't go as far to say it is magic or a miracle but I do like it a lot and really handy (pun intended) when you paint your nails and change nail varnish so often! Basically it is a pot with a black sponge inside filling with nail varnish remover with a hole in, you dip your fingers in one by one and wiggle it round and voila! It is acetone and paraben free, has sweet almond oil in and is 'red fruit and vanilla' scented so smells delish! It doesn't take just one second but definitely does a better job for glitter nail varnish. You do have to keep your finger in there longer but it is loooads easier than rubbing away with about 2 cotton wool pads for each finger! Also handy if you're like me and are a bit of a perfectionist and just want to re-do one or two nails, saves the dreaded cotton-wool-stuck-to-nail-varnish drama!

I put the Mystic Mauve on first and then two layers of Pink Fizz.

Boots: Models Own Nail Varnish: 2 for £8.00

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover: £4.99

First Base

I now RELIGIOUSLY use a base coat and top coat when I paint my nails, which may seem excessive because I probably paint my nails every other day but it has to be done...my nails would be so stained if I didn't use a base coat for one (yuk!) and secondly my nails chip SOOO quickly for some reason, usually within a day so a top coat helps to make them a bit more hardwearing and also makes them really shiny which I like! 

I never used to use base coat and noticed that my nails weren't looking as healthy as they once were. So I went on to feelunique.com and had a little browse. My nails do peel quite a bit, probably because I never have bare nails so they never get to 'breathe" so I went for the FUSION base coat which is mean't to stop peeling nails. The lingo for this one is that it is "The perfect solution for problem, peeling nails. Rubberized resins fuse the nail’s delicate layers, while Vitamins A & D strengthen and condition for growth," sounds quite clever! To be honest it is really good as a base coat to keep nail varnish on, prevent staining and my nails do seem stronger but I haven't noticed any difference in the peeling of my nails which is a shame!

I lurrrrveeeee the BRILLIANCE top coat as it is realllly shiny and also makes nail varnish dry quicker which is amazing. "Advanced new formula speeds up drying time, while adding an unparalleled high gloss finish. UV inhibitors and reflective polymers prevent chipping, smudging or yellowing. Each time you apply, it’s like a brand new manicure, fresh with shine." As it is so shiny it almost looks like gel polish if you put it on thickly and it really does make everything dry quicker which is really good.

As you can see from the photo they are both nearly used up. They are quite pricey but I think looking after your nails is really important and they last for ages, specially if you're not an absolute nail varnish geek obsessive like me! Definitely recommend the base coat as that is what stops the nail varnish from damaging your nails but any top coat can be used on top!

Looking a bit worse for wear now and will need replacing soon as they're running lowww!

Feelunique.com:

Fusion: £15.25
Brilliance: £9.55

Luscious Lashes

Hello lovelies, wanted to do a post on my eyelash extensions as I love them so much! I originally had them done as a treat for my birthday in August but have been having infills ever since. A full set at the salon I go to is usually £70.00, which does seem like a lot but when I started to think about how much I spent on fake eyelashes I wore to go out in each month (which fell off half way through the night and didn't look as good) I was soooo tempted. I asked the receptionist at my gym where she got hers done and did some research, the receptionist gave me the number of the salon she recommended. The brand of extensions used are A.H Francis and each individual extension is attached to the natural eyelash so when your natural eyelash falls out they fall out too which means they need infills every 2-3 weeks to look really full because I must have quite a quick growth cycle but some girl's last longer than that. The infills are £20-£25 depending on how many I have left and its actually a nice pampering fortnightly treat for me! I clicked instantly with Charlotte who does the eyelashes there and now we're really good friends which is a bonus. Loads of people (girls and boys) notice them and ask about them which is always nice and one of my friends gets hers done now too. If any of you live in the Norfolk/Norwich area then check out Illusions as obviously I'm a bit bias now but she definitely does the best ones I've seen. I'm at uni in London so have had a few different women do them when I'm in London but I'm never as pleased with them.

Charlotte at Illusions.
http://www.beautifulillusions.co.uk/ in Cringleford, Norwich.

Metallics: The Bag

I am LOVING metallics at the moment...bags, clothes, nail varnish, eye shadow...you name it! I came across this bag in Topshop a few weeks ago, took a photo (below) so I could go to a few more shops and have a think about it as I usually impulse buy...but of course I went back and got the bad boy! 

I have been wearing a lot of black recently and I thought it was the perfect bag to brighten up my outfits and tie in my silver accessories a bit as the jewellery I wear everyday is all silver! I absolute LOVE IT and as you can see in the photo at the bottom it added a little something extra to my black lace back shirt.

My 'think about it' photo.

Website photograph of the bag.

Me out on the town with my new bag.

Topshop: £35.00

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=5423273&langId=-1&categoryId=&searchTerm=zig%20zag&pageSize=20

Cleanse and Tone

Hello lovelies. Today I will be doing skincare featuring my favourite Cleanser and Toner of the moment. Nivea have brought out a new Visage range, which is called Pure & Natural.  95% of the ingredients in the Pure & Natural range are from natural origins and include Argan oil, Burdock fruit and Chamomile and according to Nivea the range will "Give you the perfect balance to help your skin regain its natural, healthy glow."


I bought the Cleansing Lotion and Cleansing Toner from the range a week ago, which many of you may think is too recent to review but I already love it! They both contain Bio Argan Oil and Bio Aloe Vera. The Cleansing Lotion will gently cleanse as it suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin as it contains NO parabens, colourants, silicones or mineral oils, will remove make-up and support the skin's natural balance. I have sensitive combination skin so sometimes it is hard to know which products to use as usually they are separated into dry/sensitive and normal/combination. I have an oily T-zone specially in Summer and dry patches specially in Winter so it is perfect that is suitable for all skin types and sensitive skin too. It can be massaged into the skin with fingers or cotton wool and can be followed with the Cleansing Toner.


The Cleansing Toner 'cleanses and revitalises'. The two combined makes my skin feel so clean, fresh and soft. The fragrance is subtle but really clean and fresh. Even though I have only been using the two for the last week I have noticed that my skin is softer and my make-up applies better even without a primer. My skin has also been quite clear but this could be a coincidence , I can keep an eye on my skin and report back though as it could well be due to the skincare change. I went through a stage of just using Garnier Cleanser and Toner then Clarins...which my skin didn't like too much so price tag wasn't worth it if I can find something better for cheaper. 


I also have the moisturising soothing day cream from the range too which is also really fresh and not too thick and heavy but makes my skin feel really soft. I chop and change my moisturisers quite alot because I find if I wear too heavy ones then my skin looks greasy and make-up doesn't stay on for long but if I use one that is too light for too long then I get dry patches, typical!

• Boots have  a 1/3 off on selected Nivea Visage Pure and Natural facial skin care at the moment which is a bargain if you're in the market for a new Cleanser and Toner!

Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Cleanser and Toner: £2.24 each from Boots.