Essie Strut Your Stuff, Essie, Nails, Beauty, Beauty Blog, Blue nails, Blue Nail Polish, Macbook,

Oh, it's been a while since I wrote a Mani Monday post, isn't it? 


This is a pretty bright blue shade I picked up in TK Maxx a couple of months ago. Just a heads up, they sell certain Essie polishes for about £3 instead of £7.99! (The reason it was so cheap? Because it's from the Summer 2014 collection.)
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HOLIDAYS!

I've broken up from Uni for Easter, and I am SO ready for a holiday. For the next two weeks, plans mainly include: sleeping, sleeping, spa day, sleeping. (Oh, and catching up on reading.) Can't wait!
January Favourites,

Oooh, it's been a while since I last wrote a monthly favourites post, isn't it? So, here are my top five beauty products from January 2016!

Haircare Products

It's that time of year where bad hair days are totally inevitable. Here are some products that I've been trying out to help combat the frizz.

Schwarzkopf Got2B All Star 10-in1 Styling Treatment

This product boasts that it can do TEN things for your hair. What are they? Shine, fullness, strength, thickness, smoothness, suppleness, protection, anti-frizz, anti-humidity, and shape.

It costs just under a fiver, which is pretty good for what it claims to offer. I'm pretty happy with this, it does make my hair sleeker and slightly less frizzy, but it doesn't tame it completely. (I'm yet to find anything that really does though!) 

It's worth trying out if you're on a budget and looking for something to help combat those bad hair days though.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment

This is probably the best conditioning treatment I've used. It's the only product that consistently makes my hair softer, shinier and more manageable. And, at less than a fiver, it's really pretty cheap too.

I always re-purchase this, because I can't bear to run out of it. So it probably goes without saying that I'd definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Give it a try, it's really good!

Toni & Guy Prep Heat Protection Mist

I like Toni & Guy hair stuff. (Especially seeing as this was only a couple of quid.) I'm trying to give my hair as much of a break as possible each week from heat styling, but sometimes only GHDs will do to tame my hair, and that's where this product comes into play.

The scent is lovely and subtle, and it seems to ease frizz slightly too. Plus it's always nice to be reassured that I'm protecting my poor hair from all the heat I subject it to.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Creme Serum

Ahhh, Frizz Ease. I picked this up in Boots the other week by chance, having not used anything from the range for years. I've mainly been using this to try and tame frizz after I've finished styling my hair, but you can use this before blow drying. It's pretty good at taming flyaways and calming down the frizziness that's inevitable at this time of year. 

It's slightly pricier than all of the other products on my list, but it's pretty flippin' good, so it's probably worth it.

Co Lab Dry Shampoo - Paris 

This is part of Ruth Crilly's range of dry shampoos. Now, I'll be honest, I'm really not a fan of dry shampoo at all. I've never found one that I would consider using on a regular basis, or as an alternative to washing my hair if the option to wash it properly wasn't there. 

Co Lab is probably the nicest one I've found, for a couple of reasons: It doesn't make my hair look grey/white (so people don't mistake me for an old lady), and it doesn't make my hair too much frizzier.

There are an array of different scents (all named after different cities) in the range, but I picked up Paris, in the hope that it would make me feel more cosmopolitan and Parisian. (It didn't.)

This would probably be the dry shampoo brand that I'd opt for first, but it's not something I'd ordinarily pick up and use unless I really had to.


Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

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Boots Natural Collection Bronzer in Sunshine

Seriously affordable bronzer from Boots Natural Collection.


Like everything else in the Natural Collection range, this fantastic bronzer costs £1.99. (Yes, really!) I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this on my blog before? I don't actually think I have, despite the fact I've used this for ages. The one in the photo is a re-purchase, because I'm pretty smitten with this gem as my daily bronzer.

Lush Bubble Bar Bar Humbug

Purple & glittery (inedible) swiss roll.


What better way to treat yourself after a stressful week than with a bit of pamper time courtesy of Lush?
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©Katiewrites.co.uk

Mani Monday is back after a few weeks away! With one of those Essie polishes that I got at a seriously discounted price online. (£2.49 instead of £7.99!) It's part of the Winter 2014 collection, which is probably why it was discounted, but I'm happy to pay so little for a slightly 'outdated' polish.

I love this dark red shade because I think it suits even my deathly pallor. It's such a versatile shade, it'll suit most skin tones. I know it's a tad dark to be a 'summer shade' but it's a great staple red to wear whenever you want.

As with Essie polishes, the quality is high and the chipping is minimal. Pictured is just the one coat, as I was in a rush when doing my nails, but the coverage is still fantastic. Brace yourselves, here comes the catchphrase: As you can see, I'm terrible at painting my nails, but even I found it quite hard to mess up with this polish.

Do you mind if I don't 'Jump in your Jumpsuit' though, Essie? I look silly wearing jumpsuits.

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At the moment, even though it's getting warmer outside, my skin's still feeling a little on the sensitive side. To combat this, I've been turning to French Pharmacy products. To cleanse, I've been using Avene Extremely Gentle Cleanser, which really helps to calm my skin down. At £8 a bottle, it's quite pricey for a High Street cleanser, but a little goes a really long way. It's definitely the most gentle cleanser that I've ever discovered. After this, I spray a mist of Avene Thermal Spring Water on my skin and dab the excess off with a tissue. I love this spray because it doubles up as a wonderful setting mist after I've applied my makeup. Then, I gently dab a small blob of Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Balm under each eye. It's packed full of Vitamins B5 & E, which help to reduce eye bags and puffiness. It's so gentle that it doesn't irritate the very delicate skin around my eyes at all. 

For my day moisturiser, I've been using Olay Sensitive SPF 15 Day Fluid, which does a fantastic job at giving my skin a lovely glow; without making it look greasy. I really like the subtle scent of this moisturiser too. For night-time, I tend to find that my skin suddenly erupts in huge spots if I use a night cream. So, to moisturise before bed, I'm still raving about La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, which really helps to keep spots at bay and keep my skin clear while I sleep. 

What are your skincare essentials? Comment below to tell me!

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©Katiewrites.co.uk
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©Katiewrites.co.uk

First of all, can we all just take a moment to appreciate how pretty this box is?! Look at it!


Lord & Berry Lipstick Pencil in Kiss
I'm really pretty happy with receiving this! It's a lovely bright red shade, with the slightest hint of orange. I would honestly expect it to cost more than £10! On its own, it leaves a matte finish, but adding a slather of lip balm will give it a bit of shine.

Astral Original
I've never really tried Astral before, even though it's a really cheap skincare brand that's stood the test of time... I've just never really been drawn to it.

However, after trying this, I'm pleasantly surprised at how light it actually feels on my skin. I expected it to feel quite thick, greasy and heavy; but it really wasn't.

One downside is that the scent is quite 'soapy' and fairly strong, so it's probably not best for those who have particularly sensitive skin. Although, I would say it's an absolute bargain at £3.89! 
(Apparently, you can use it to remove your makeup as well, so it's a handy dual-use product!)

POP Beauty Kajal Eyeliner Pen
I'm pretty sure that Glossybox sent me a POP eyeliner a few months back, which was really good for the price. This eyeliner is great as it has a pencil at one end and a smudger at the other; to give a lovely smokey eye look. The shade is 'Sooty Black', which reminds me of Sooty the puppet from back in the day... Remember him? It's also only £6.50, which certainly isn't going to break the bank! 

Color Club Barely There Nail Polish
I really like this nude shade that they've sent, and it's totally on trend too. It's kind of a 'cappuccino' colour. From the quality of the packaging, you'd never guess that it retails for just £4.10! Although I haven't tried this yet, expect to see it popping up in a Mani Monday post soon!

Nougat London Soothing Bath Pearls
Ahhh these smell gorgeous! The first thing that hit me when I opened this Glossybox was the scent emanating from these bath pearls. I can't wait to try them!

The Glossybox card reliably informs me that these pearls leave a 'very subtle shimmer which stays on the skin, creating a limb-lengthening sheen'. Sounds impressive. The card also says that you're supposed to use a large tablespoon full of the pearls and add them to your warm bath. At £6 for 25ml, these will make such a lovely pampering treat!

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£1 nail polish, everyone. 


Mani Monday had a break, for Easter. (As my nails were kind of crying out for a break.) But today, it's back. Everyone, say 'hooray!'. Or don't. Whatever.

The packaging design looks quite pretty. It reminds me a little of the new Nails, Inc. packaging. Although, I guess it's a little more flimsy as I broke the lid just trying to open it for the first time... Oops.

The reason that I've dubbed it 'blue stuff' is because it's kind of blue and Primark haven't given the shade a name. One coat is okay, but you'd probably need a couple to get a good coverage. As an aside, I'm not sure how many other shades Primark have on offer, as I bought this ages ago!

Considering I'm really bad at painting my nails (which is quickly becoming a catchphrase), I only managed to mess one nail up completely. One out of ten ain't bad.

I've been wearing this for the best part of a week now, and yes, it's quite chipped, but I'm pleasantly surprised as to how well it's stayed put. One negative is that it smells really quite strong. Stronger than most polishes that I've tried. 

I really wasn't holding high expectations for this, on account of it being so cheap. But, it was actually okay. For £1, you can't really complain, can you? Overall, it's actually quite good and I'd recommend giving it a try!

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It's always a lovely post day when my Glossybox arrives.



Essence Lash Princess Mascara
Glossybox have sent me an Essence mascara before, a few months back. It was okay, but I wasn't completely wowed by it. I am however, wowed by their cheap prices. This mascara costs £3.30! Yes, really! What a bargain! I'm quite pleased with this. It's got a good, thick wand and it leaves my lashes looking volumised and lifted without making them look like spiders' legs.

Another plus point was that there was minimal smudging under my eyes, which, if you're a regular reader, will know is one of my biggest bug bears. The only negative I've found with this is that the wand felt a tad 'sharp' upon application.

Sleek Pout Paint
I'm becoming quite a fan of the Sleek range, but haven't tried any of their lip products yet. I received this in shade 'Peachy Keen - 156' - which is quite a bright orangey-coral colour.

Sleek say:
'Pout Polish is a tinted lip conditioner that nourishes and feels like a lip balm, whilst providing the look and colour of a subtle gloss'

It is really pigmented, but I'm really not keen on the shade as it's a bit too orange for my skin tone. It just doesn't really suit me. However, I'm impressed with the high pigmentation that this has to offer and the fact that a little goes a really long way! One thing that I really love about Sleek is that their products are high quality, but also reasonably priced. This product retails for a mere £4.49!

Naobay Moisturising Peeling
When I read the description of this on my card, I wasn't quite sure what is was... Is it a face mask? Is it a moisturiser? Is it an exfoliant? No idea, so I had to Google it.

Apparently, it's an exfoliating face peel. Naobay say:
"Facial milk with natural peeling particles from the Acai palm tree. This face peel gently exfoliates the skin, removing surface cells and impurities. It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines by combining Olive oil, Shea butter and Sweet Almond oil with Gotu kola extract that soothe the skin after the peel. 98,82% of the total ingredients are from natural origin. 29,1% of the total ingredients are from organic farming."

I haven't had to chance to try this out, as my skin's in an awful state at the moment; but a full review of this will be up once I've tried it!

NCLA Nail Polish
Again, I haven't tried this yet, but expect to see it popping up in a Mani Monday post sometime soon!

Dove Youthful Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner
Right, so these are anti-aging hair products. Not quite sure what you're trying to say there, Glossybox... I'm only in my early twenties. Having said that, I really love the scent of Dove hair products. I used it anyway, and it made my hair lovely, clean and soft. Not sure it looks any younger though...

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A bit of sparkle.


I received this in my Glossybox months and months ago, but haven't really used it until now. This is shade 157 - Cosmical, which isn't normally a colour that I'd generally opt for. However, I actually really like it! In the bottle it looks really gold, but once applied, it's slightly paler and looks a little silver in certain lights. 

It is very quick drying. I'd estimate that it dried within about a minute. And the fantastic thing is; you only need one coat! If you're terrible at painting your nails, like me, this is a good nail varnish to try. It actually looks relatively neat once applied and it's quite hard to mess it up! 

This polish retails for £4.99; which isn't bad for saying it only needs one coat and is so quick-drying. Unfortunately, I can't find this particular shade online, but there are a few others in the range available from Superdrug by clicking here.

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©Katiewrites.co.uk

VERY Belated Favourites time!



Sleek Blush in Rose Gold
I did feature this quite recently in my latest YouTube video (which you can watch here.) I bought it a while back as it's a dupe for a certain NARS blush. The NARS one is £23, whilst the Sleek version is £4.49 and they're really pretty similar!

It's lovely, with a little bit of gold shimmer in it to make you look a little more radiant. It looks quite dark in my photos, but it doesn't look remarkably red once applied. It's actually quite a pink colour when on your cheeks. It's highly pigmented, so you don't even have to apply loads to get a good coverage.

You can buy this online for £4.49 from Superdrug by clicking here.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crosswires
I've been using this lipstick quite a lot lately! It's been described by MAC as "clean pinky orange". Because it's Cremesheen, it's quite moisturising, which is great for this time of year when it's still pretty cold outside!

You can buy this from any MAC store or online for £15.50 by clicking here.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
This is an exciting new mascara from Benefit, which I'm sure everybody's already heard of! It came free in a recent edition of Elle Magazine and I'm really happy with it! I prefer it to They're Real and Bad Gal to be honest!

As usual with Benefit mascaras, it's going to cost £19.50 and if you fancy trying it, you can get it directly from Benefit's website by clicking here.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
Yes, I know I keep banging on about this, but it's been a bit of a skincare saviour of late. I've been suffering from horrible spots and has been my go-to moisturiser to deal with the zits. I wrote a full review of this last summer, which you can read here, so I won't go into too much detail here.

You can buy this from Boots for £15.50 by clicking here.

Vo5 Smoothly Does It Serum
I'm not normally a big fan of using serums on my hair, but I love this! I picked it up a few months ago when it was on offer in Boots, but only started using it recently. I'm really pleased with how smooth and sleek my hair looks with this.

Seriously, taming my hair is usually a big job... It's normally an arduous battle with the frizz, but it's nowhere near as bad with this. And it's relatively cheap too! 

You can pick this up from Boots for £4.19 by clicking here.

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'Come on Barbie, let's go party.'


I'm really happy with how long-lasting this is. Despite the fact that I'm terrible at painting my nails neatly, it doesn't chip or smudge easily. The colour is so bright even with one coat, never mind two! (Pictured is just one coat.) It's quite a 'Barbie pink', but with spring and summer approaching, this colour is perfect! Yes, it's quite bright and girly, so won't be for everyone, but you definitely can't miss it!

At £5, it's quite a bargain! I also really love the design of the packaging, with the polkadots and skinny font. I can't currently find this shade on Topshop's website, but if you fancy trying it too, I've found a similar shade called Pink Cadillac.

Are you a Topshop Nail Polish fan? What should I try next? Comment below and tell me!

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Wow, this is my 100th blog post!

Vroom, Vroom.


Road Rage is one of Barry M's fancy new Quick Dry polishes. My verdict? It did dry quite quickly, I'd estimate it took between one and two minutes for each coat to dry. Which isn't bad, is it? Pictured are two coats of Road Rage with Nail Girls 3-in-1 top and base coat.

It's a lovely minty/turquoise colour and it actually matches the colour of my car! (How co-ordinated am I?!) Although, I always feel like I have to apologise profusely for just how bad I am at painting my nails...

I love the design of the bottle too, with the chequered flag on the lid. (Reminds me of watching F1 races as a kid with my Dad...) A lot of the shades in this new range are also named after racing terms, like 'Pit Stop' and 'Full Throttle'.

I picked this up in my local Boots store for £3.99, but this shade isn't available on their website. (Very similar ones are available though by clicking here.)

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Here is a video on my Quick & Easy Makeup Look!


It features only high street/drugstore products and my face is in it. A LOT. Sorry...

Okay, so I'll admit that I filmed this just over a month ago... But I've only just got round to editing and uploading it! 
(I totally procrastinated on the editing thing, because my own face kept on making me cringe so much that I had to stop.)

Be gentle with me, because filming/editing a video and putting my face on the Internet like this (for the first time) is pretty scary and nerve-racking. I'm no Zoella, but at least I've tried!

Hope you like it!

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A girl can dream, right?


1. Lancôme Grandiose Mascara - £24.50
2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - £33
3. Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter - £13
4. Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette - 'The Dolce Vita' - £38
5. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Ruby Woo - £15.50.

What's on your beauty wishlist?


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©Katiewrites.co.uk

Don't want to look tangoed? Here are my top three really pale foundations.


Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation - Porcelain
Type of Skin - Normal/Oily

This is the perfect pale foundation for you if you've got oilier or spot-prone skin. It's non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores; causing more spots and it's also got anti-bacterial properties. I wrote a full review of this foundation last year, which you can read here if you want to know more.

When applying this, I just pop a bit of Collection Lasting Perfection concealer on blemishes and red patches before buffing this over the top with a kabuki brush. It offers quite a light coverage, although you can build it up without it going too 'cakey'.

This foundation costs £13.49 and you buy it directly from Lily Lolo's website or from FeelUnique.


MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC15 
Type of Skin - Dry/Sensitive

This is the pricier of the three, costing a hefty £25 for a 40ml tube. Having said that, I've had this for months and there's still loads left. You only need a pea-sized amount to cover your face and the coverage that it gives is excellent.

Studio Sculpt is probably one of the only foundations that I've tried where my skin feels moisturised and soft after washing it off at the end of the day. I'm really impressed with it, the only thing that I'm not that keen on is the smell, but you soon get used to it.

You can buy this from any MAC Cosmetics shop or their website.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - Light Porcelain 
Type of Skin - Normal/Dry.

This is the cheapest of the three at £8.99, but it's often on offer on ASOS for slightly less. I wrote a full review of this last year, where I was slightly harsh and you can read that here.

I've adopted this as my 'main' foundation; the one I go to when my skin's not really playing up in any way. It claims to have an 'anti-fatigue effect' and gives you a 'radiant glow'. I can vouch for the fact that it does give a radiant finish; which you might need to tone down with a bit of powder, especially if your skin tends to get oily patches.

Rimmel also brought out a concealer to accompany this foundation, although there isn't a shade light enough to match the foundation. That's a bit silly, isn't it?


Have you tried any foundations that are great for really pale skin? If so, let me know!

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Just a tad too dark?

I've become a bit of a fan of Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, so will the concealer live up to the same standards?


Erm... No.

It's way too dark. Pictured is the lightest shade of concealer (Ivory) with the lightest shade of foundation (Light Porcelain). Why bother bringing out a super-pale foundation if you don't make a concealer to accompany it?

I've heard so many people raving about this so I thought I'd give it a try. I really wish I hadn't bothered because it's just a waste of money if you're pale.

I honestly can't comment on whether it's got an 'anti-fatigue' effect or a 'radiant glow' because as soon as I've applied it I'm too busy staring at the mirror going: "Ahhh, I've got orange panda eyes!".

It looks like I've got orange dark circles. (Please try not to laugh at that image.) Every spot and blemish is encircled with an orange hue that makes me look like I've developed some kind of horrendous skin condition. What are pale people supposed to do? It's bad enough that we look like death warmed up due to our pallor, but to have such a lack of products to conceal our dark circles and blemishes just adds insult to injury.

Please, cosmetics companies, is it really so much to ask for that pale people need concealer too? Please. Don't bring out pale foundations and then forget about creating a super-pale concealer to accompany it. That's just silly. Isn't it?

Rant over... Do you know of any really pale concealers? If so, comment below or tweet me!

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Half price makeup brushes!


These lovely brushes are currently half price at Boots. They're £10 instead of the usual £20.

The set contains five brushes, which are:
Directional Powder Brush,
Foundation Brush,
Eyeshadow Blend & Contour,
Eyeliner Brush,
Lip Brush,
Makeup Bag.

I particularly love the Eyeshadow blend & contour brush because it really allows you to get right into the crease of your eyelid with ease. If you're quite bad at applying eyeshadow, as am I, then it makes it really easy! And the bristles are white, which allows you to see how much product you've actually got on the brush. (Handy!)

I must admit that they look more expensive than they are. The handles are made of plastic, but initially looking at them, I thought they'd be metal. It does mean that they're quite light to hold though.

The brushes are quite a lot more expensive if you buy them individually. They range from around £7-14 each! So this set is an absolute bargain!

They're limited edition, so if you want to get your hands on them, be quick! Sadly, I can't find this set on the Boots website, but you might still be in luck if you pop down to your local Boots store!

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