Review : Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener

I do not know what had overcome my nails a few weeks ago, but everything that could have gone wrong with them actually happened. They were brittle, peeling, flaking, breaking, and the skin around them just looked disgusting due to damaged nail folds. It was fair to say that they were at an all time low.

What was worse was that I didn't know why all of this was happening. Was it to do with my diet? My constant need to apply nail varnish? The weather? Or it could have been to do with an underlying illness? Because I didn't know what was wrong with them, and because I was too lazy to change my diet and way of life, I instead went out and bought a tiny bottle of 'Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener' from my local chemist.

This tiny bottle cost me around £7 and I have to say, it saved my nails! I applied the chemical onto my nail tips twice a week as recommended, and unlike other nail hardeners I have used (such as 'Sally Hansen Miracle Cure') you don't just get a coating of clear nail varnish over the nails. Instead, the chemicals in 'Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener' actually get absorbed into the nail bed so that you are left with no coating. And now after about two-three weeks my nails are back to their normal selves.

Now I just have to sort out my nail folds.

Positives:
- It works!
- The bottle lasts for a good few months despite how small the bottle is.
- Actually absorbs into the nail, instead of providing a clear covering.
- Affordable at £7.
- I think it has been around for 50 years, so it is obviously doing its job for others too.
-  It still works if you apply it to your nails before applying nail varnish.

Negatives:
- There is a fishy sort of smell to the bottle, but it is not overpowering. And it seems to disappear when applied to the nails.
- You need to be careful not to get on skin, or otherwise it may cause skin hardening.
- It took my nails around three weeks to get back to perfect condition, so you need to be patient.

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Under Cover notebook

Does anyone else have a notebook that they carry around everywhere with them, or is it just me? Well, recently I had come to the end of my beloved pad, which meant I had to venture into town and find a new one to fill up with random, yet important details.

Fortunately, I came across this leather buckled notebook in an amazing contemporary lifestyle shop in Abergavenny called 'FORTYSIX'. The notepad itself was placed shyly upon a shelf, and the only reason it managed to catch my eye was down to its eye catching colours. As soon as I picked it up I fell in love and knew within a split second that I had to buy it.

The lined paper notepad has been handmade with recycled leather by a delightful company called 'Under Cover'. I bought this A5 one for £24, and for the money it is good quality. A plus with this notepad is the fact that the paper pad inside has been glued securely in. This means that when you come to the end of the pages, it can be ripped out and a new pad of paper can be simply glued back into the leather cover.

If you don't fancy the blue and green then there are plenty of other colour schemes and styles that I believe would be perfect for travelling, or just as a day-to-day pad. One colour that also took my fancy was the neon pink and orange scheme.

Check out their website: www.undercoveruk.com

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Review : Soap & Glory: The Fab Pore Facial Peel

I have always suffered from oily skin, especially along my nose. Whilst I was in my teen years I never really understood why, but since growing up I have since realised that my nose pores are pretty big. So big in fact that I always become self conscious when I haven't got makeup on to conceal them. But what makes this a harsh circle is that makeup actually clogs up my pores and gets them into worse condition. I just can't win!

Since discovering my enlarged pores, I have always been willing to try out new products that can either minimise my pores, or just help matte out my oily skin. This one product by the well known brand 'Soap & Glory' sells this product by labelling it as a exfoliation mask that can help reduce pores and oily skin. All you have to do is leave it on your skin for 5-15 minutes and try to apply it around two or three times a week.

When you first open up the pot you are welcomed by the scent of mint. Quite surprising for 'Soap & Glory' but it is still quite pleasant. The texture of the cream is very thick and rich, but creamy enough to provide enough cover. And when you do apply this mask to your t-zones you have to massage the cream in well enough so that the green beads dissolve underneath your fingertips. Overall it is a good quality product for £10.

The results I got from this mask were great in the short term. Straight after a 15 minute session I would find my skin feeling exceptionally smooth, and the clay had done its job of getting rid of any oil. My skin would feel unclogged and much more hydrated, but unfortunately it didn't seem to do anything to the size of my pores. In fact all of these pros that I have mentioned seem to disappear a day later which is most probably why they recommend you apply three times a week. But despite the fact this mask has no long term effects, I am pleasantly surprised and keep it as part of my routine when I get time.

Before I finish this post, I do have to mention the name on this pot, 'Facial Peel'. If you have read this, but you have been put off by it because you think you have to peel the mask off, then you do not need to worry because it is in fact not a mask to peel. Instead it is just referring to peeling off dead skin cells. In order to take the mask off you simply just have to rinse with water.
Also, I have to mention that since I have bought this pot, Soap & Glory have decided to change its packaging for this product. Instead of the pink, they have instead changed the pot to a green and white colour scheme. They have even changed the name to 'Fab Pore 2-in-1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask & Peel'.

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Wish List : Makeup bags

I absolutely love buying new makeup and wash bags. Any chance I get and I'll be straight down the shops in search of one. It's kind of silly really because no one rarely sees your makeup or wash bag apart from yourself and maybe a few friends and family members. So I suppose I am wasting money on myself and should just rely on one trusted bag, but I just can't help myself. 


The main time that I feel you always need to buy a new bag is when you go holiday. Because of this I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to show you a few that I have been pining over recently.


Notting Hill Rose Cosmetic Bag, CathKidston.com, £12 - 
I am a huge fan of Cath Kidston patterns, and I admit that I do already have a makeup bag of hers. But I was so impressed with the quality of my last one that I am more than happy to buy another. The fact that the bag is made out of oil cloth means it is brilliant with dealing with those foundation stains we all get on the outside of the bag. 

Hearts makeup bag, Alphabetbags.com, £18 -

This simple design is pretty cute and appealing. I actually think that this bag will be the first one I will purchase from this bunch. The quality of it looks ideal when looking at the pictures, and the fact that the cloth is laminated makes it perfect for cleaning the white colour.

Deckchair dogs washbag, Catseyelondon.com, £15 -

This was just too adorable not to post. I am normally so against animal posed pictures on bags because they always look quite cheap and tacky, but this one caught my heart. How adorable. And the fact that they are on deckchairs goes perfectly well with the holiday theme. 

Ted Baker edna washbag, Johnlewis.com, £69 - 

I know this bag is very plain, but I can't help but lust after it. I have been after a leather bag for a while now so that it could always be that one bag I could rely on due to its sturdy material. Yet looking at the cost, I can't help but feel like this bag will never be added to my collection. I am actually so gutted by this. 

Palm tree print makeup bag, Topshop.com, £10 - 

The use of Palm trees on this bag obviously makes it ideal for a holiday. I can see myself already picking out my basic makeup products from this bag. 

Ted Baker sugarsweet makeup bag, Asos.com, £22 -

These type of bags that Ted Baker releases always seem to be quite structured and have a plasticky feel to them. Because of this I am not normally a fan, but the pattern on this one is so pretty with its chalky and pastel floral design that I can't help but want. 

Lovely Jubbly Designs floral rose chintz makeup bag, Notonthehighstreet.com, £14 -

I actually made a cushion out of this green floral fabric, and I am still in love with it to this day. So when I saw the material had been used to make a wash bag I just had to add it to this list. 

Lips washbag, Catseyelondon.com, £15 -

The design of having lips on a makeup bag is quite an old idea, whether it be and picture of actual lips or the lipstick print of lips. But I have realised that I have never actually bought one with this type of design, so when I came across this one I thought it could be the perfect addition to my collection.

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Review : NIP + FAB Tummy Fix

It came to about a month before I went on holiday that I started to panic over the fact that I still had a lot of work to get the perfect bikini body. This meant I got desperate. So desperate in fact that I succumbed to buying this Nip + Fab cream which claims that it can improve skin tone and texture at the abdominal area whilst sculpting and firming. In other words, it helps to tone your tummy.

Like a lot of other people I was skeptical, can a cream really help tone your tummy? Well, seeing that I was desperate I thought it couldn't hurt to give it a go. So after a trip to my local Boots store, I picked up a 100ml tube that came to the cost of £19.95. Luckily, I had around £10 worth of Boots club points to use, meaning that I only spent £9.95.

I used this cream religiously. Every morning and every night I applied this cream in circular motions onto my untoned stomach for that last month before my holiday. And I will admit right now that I am one of those people who wants results fast. So every time I did apply the cream I would look in the mirror to inspect. However, I knew I could not judge this cream without doing a before and after photo, so that is exactly what I did. I wish I could put those photos up on here for you to see, but unfortunately my photos were wiped off my hard-drive a few months ago, so they are no more.

My thought on this cream? Well in hindsight I wish I saved my money and club card points to buy some new nail varnishes instead. I remember when I first looked at the before and after photos to compare and I was so disappointed. There were no differences in the photos at all. And it's true, every time I looked in the mirror I couldn't see any changes except for the fact that my skin felt smoother. I still had obvious cellulite, my skin was still no close to being firm, and I basically just looked exactly the same.

Maybe I saw no effects because I only applied the cream for just a month, or maybe it was because I didn't have any major problems (many mums who have just given birth swear upon this product helping fix their after pregnancy belly). But from my experience with this cream I unfortunately won't be recommending it to anyone, especially at £20 a tube.

It is fair to say that after this experience I am willing to accept that the only way I can lose weight, or to firm out my hideous cellulite is to diet and exercise. There are no quick fixes. Before my Cyprus holiday last August I was blind to this, which meant that I did indeed go on holiday without that perfect bikini body.

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