Bring on 2012!!

Well this is just a super quick post to apologise for the mahoosive delay in getting some posts up but unfortunately December was a wee bit frantic and I simply could not get the time to blog about all the wonderful things I wanted to. Fear not however!! 2012 is almost upon us and I have BIG plans for my wee blog space.

I have had a fab Christmas and have buckets of products to review from my Rimmel prize pack, my soap and glory bucket of fun, some uk exclusives and much more (with the amount if stuff i got under the tree and in my stocking im guessing i was a very good girl). My only problem now is where to begin?!

So here's to 2012, I truly hope it brings good fortune, love and success for all my followers as well as many hours of happy blog reading!! Have a great time ringing it in tomorrow nite xxx

Christmas is a coming!! 10 great high street party polishes...

So it's probably fairly obvious from my business that I do have a bit of an obsession with nail polish. However, I have avoided blogging about polishes in the fearof it being construed as a shameless plug. Until, yet again, I found myself standing in the local pharmacy, waiting for a prescription and "browsing" the loverly nail polish collections to occupy my time! Guess what happened?? LOL a nice festive sparkly blue polish found it's way to the till - ahem in the name of research of course!  So with christmas parties coming up I figured it makes sense to cover off some great high street brands from cheap to not so cheap to help you achieve the perfect party nails!! (its important to note here that I have since lost the loverly sparkly blue polish that inspired this post so I have subbed in another close colour that I just happened to have!!)

The Detail:

Ok so quite a lot of brands going on here so I have them listed in order of price starting witht he cheapest. Note prices below are per bottle not based on quantities but I have included the sizes if you fancy doing a bit of maths!

Essence Colour & Go €1.29
Shade: "Blue Addicted" no 78
Description: Navy Blue lacquer with large hexagonal green and blue glitter
Size: 5ml
Stockists: Most pharmacies including McCabes excluding Boots & Superdrug, Some Dunnes Stores & Some Penneys

Collection 2000 Hot Looks €2.39
Shade: "Shimmy Shake" no 52
Description: Fine gold glitter in clear lacquer
Size: 8ml
Stockists: Boots & Superdrug

Catrice €2.79
Shade: "I'm a Star..." no 660
Description: Pearl shimmer lacquer with a pewter/goldy green colour
Size: 10ml
Stockits: Some Dunnes Stores (Liffey Valley def.), Penney's O'Connell Street and most good pharmacies

2 True Glossywear €3
Shade: no 14
Description: Pearl shimmer lacquer midnight blue colour
Size: 9ml
Stockists: Superdrug
Offers: all products €3 each or any 3 products for €7

Barry M €4.50
Shade: Green Glitter no 298
Description: Green glitter in clear lacquer
Size: 10ml
Stockists: Boots, Dunnes Stores, Superdrug
Current Offers - 3 for 2 on any Barry M products in most stockists nationwide

Bourjois €7.99
Shade: Prune Stellaire no 9
Description: Prune nail laquer with lighter prune fine glitter giving high sheen wet look
Size: 8ml
Stockists: Boots, Superdrug, Most Chemists

GOSH €7.50 - €8.50
Shade: Gasoline no 541
Description: Light purple lacquer with fine silver and blue glitter
Size: 8ml
Stockists: Superdrug, McCabes Pharmacies
Current Offers - 3 for 2 in Superdrug on all GOSH cosmetics, €2 off all GOSH cosmetics in McCabes

INGLOT €10
Shade: 318
Description: Pearl shimmer light green lacquer
Size: 10ml
Stockists: INGLOT

OPI €12 - €15
Shade: Yodel Me On My Cell
Description: Teal green shimmer lacquer
Size: 15ml
Stockists: McCabes Pharmacies, Salons nationwide providing OPI treatments

Leighton Denny €16
Shade: Best Seller
Description: Rich red lacquer with a slightly lighter glitter giving a high sheen wet look finish
Size: 12 ml
Stockists: Leighton Denny Nail Bar in House of Fraiser Dundrum, Salons & Spas nationwide poviding Leighton Denny treatments

The Images:

The line-up: 8 of the 10 reviewed (INGLOT & Essence nails painted using testers in the shops!!)

Close ups:

INGLOT # 318

Catrice, OPI & 2 True

Bourjois

Leighton Denny

Collection 2000, Barry M & GOSH

Essence

 

The glitter hand  from pinkie to thumb: GOSH, Essence, Barry M, Collection 2000 & Leighton Denny

The shimmer/pearl hand - from thumb to pinkie: Bourjois, 2 True, OPI, Catrice & INGLOT

The Sciencey Bit:
Ok so in more recent times nail polish manufacturers have been put under pressure to find healthier alternatives to the standard ingredients used to make lacquer. Normally speaking nail polish is a combination of nitrocellulose which is dissolved in a solvent usually either butyl acetate or ethyl acetate. After this pigments and glitters are added for the colour and a melting pot of chemical are added to plasticize them, help them to adhere tot he nail plate, prevent fading etc etc etc. Perhaps happier to be blissfully ignorant one asks??  Well possibly but the big buzz term with nail polishes worth knowing is "3 Free" which effectively means polishes that is free from the 3 biggies in terms of potential harm and sometimes you may hear
1. Formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen and can be harmful for asthmatics
2. Toluene which has been previously linked to cancer and in its purest form can cause drowsiness & nausea
3. Dibutyl Phthalate or DBP for short which has been linked to testicular problems in lab rats and later in humans
4. "4 Free" covers polishes that exclude the above 3 ingredients but also Camphor which is an extreme toxin and has levels allowed in consumers products reduced to a maximum limit of 11% by the FDA in America.

Conclusion:
Right there are 10 polishes to cover off here so bear with me!

Essence Colour & Go
One of my favourites for trying out new colours on the cheap - they are pretty good with keeping on trend and you will actually get a couple of days wear if you are reasonably careful and use decent base and top coats. They are also cruelty free (don't test on animals) and 4 Free which is quite surprising for such a cheap product. They do however run out quite quickly being such tiney tiny bottles - my only quibble! This is definitly my favourite shade of the 10 for a super festive sparkle without being too blingey.

Collection 2000 Hot Looks
Right well just my luck I got a bottle with a gammy brush (it had like half a second brush up the side so was virtually impossible to paint on my nails and not fingers!!). It dries super quick and while it looked very disappointing after one coat the second coat built the colour up well. A wee bit too yellowey gold for my liking (which I think cheapens the look slightly) but perhaps with a darker skintone it looks better?! They are a cruelty free product line but info on ingredients is seriously lacking formt heir website and given they have an animal testing policy I would imagine if they were indeed 3 or 4 Free we'd know about it.

Catrice
OMG I simply LOVE Catrice polishes. Rarely can I visit a stand and resist the urge to pick up a new polish shade. They have a fabulous range of colours, cute names and I really like the packaging. It's also a good consistency to apply (not too thin, not too thick). Unfortunately it's not terribly chip resistant and really is a one day/one night polish in my experience. However the low cost and fab range of colours makes this a happy compromise for me - it may drive others mad tho. Again like Essence they are a 4 Free lacquer and also are cruelty free.

2 True Glossywear 
A decent enough polish promising up to 5 days wear...I've never got past 3 days but hey thats me. I can't put my finger on it but for some reaosn it's just not a brand I love. Perhaps the colour range is just not for me - this shade is lovely on mind you! Unlike many polishes they do put their ingredients on the bottle but mine is all faded so I may be wrong but they do appear to be 3 Free. Very importantly agian they are cruelty free.

Barry M
Amazing coverage for just 2 coats (I reminise about glitter polishes from my formative years where you had to paint on about  6 layers to get the full on gliter look). I reckon their glitter polishes give as good a finish as rockstar nails so well worth the investment if you like this look. However it is an absolute nightmare to remove - takes forever!! I'm a massive Barry M fan for longevity and amazing catwalk  colour dupes released quick smart. They list ingredients by the colour range online and this one seems to be 3 free wich is all good, they have been known to include touline and DBP in the past but it appears this is being phased out. They are also cruelty free. Barry M polishes have won countless beauty awards and is worth the couple of extra quid for its coverage and longevity.

Bourjois
I've always enjoyed treating myself with a Bourjois polish. A big fan of their So Laque range (particularly their french manicure peaches) I was actually slightly disappointed with this polish. It looks far more glittery in the bottle than on my nail...you can really only see the glitter under the light so not one to go for if you arelooking for sparkle. It holds true on it's one second dry time but I'm not a lover of the fan shaped brush allowing you to cover the nail in one stroke -it doesn't!! One coat is pretty good coverage though and it does last a fair few days before chips set in. They have a quality statement on their website btu it's vague enough so difficult to establish if they are in fact 3 Free and cruelty free. As ever if they don't say it they probably don't do it!

GOSH
Well GOSH this one was a BIG disappointment. The colour is jsut SO much paler than it looks in the bottle and while it is nice it far more pinkey than purple and the name Gasoline made me think of almost black purple colours...but nope not in this. It wears well and applies well as with most GOSH polishes so really my gripe here is just the colour. The glitter is so fine that it really just gives more of a shimmer than sparkle. Its Formaldehyde and Toulene free and also cruelty free.

INGLOT
Some may say I'm biased but I do love INGLOT polishes. They are 4 Free and Cruelty free too. A very watery consistency they remind me a lot of OPI and need quite a bit of practise to get on jsut right with n brush strokes visable. They are just a durable as OPI and all in all a happy alternative as a professional polish. The best bit probably has to be the colour range - it is virtually impossible not to find a perfect match to your outfit. I went for this shade as its nice and light but still very Christmassy. Its probably the one that got the most comments - yes yes as I walked around liek a crazy woman with 10 different coloured nails all in the name of research for you guys!!

OPI
Another firm favourite of mine I do like OPI. They are 3 Free and Cruelty free and I just love the mad names the polishes all have. (especially all the Suzi ones..!) The bottles are huge at 15mls so while pricier you are getting more product. They are very watery polishes so do take a bit of practise to get used to but worth it. This colour is nice and festive but very wearable in the office. Only negative is the bottle size and shape makes it hard to store - but thats only an issue because I have so many feckin' bottles of polish!!

Leighton Denny
Finally the lovely Leighton Denny - I always complan about the longevity of these polishes but all the same I keep buying them! They are very very pricey for not great longevity but do have a few colours that just are amazing on. While I like this colour and it is incredibly popular with clients its far from my favourite - All About Me. This is an amazing candy pink colour which I wanted to put on with white stripes and pass off as a Christmas colour but figured that was cheating! So back to this... as it's name would suggest it was a fiercely popular colour when in test stage so got its name Best Seller and has lived up to it ever since. The glitter is so fine that it really just gives a shimmer. A very nice finish overall. Very difficult to get detailed info on the ingredients. I have ascertained that it is formaldahyde free but so far thats it!


Ok - I hope this hasn't sent you  all to snoozeville because holy god its long! I guess it was an ambitious post trying to cover 10 different products but I wanted to give ye all a nice bunch of polishes to choose from! Let me know your thoughts and any of your festive favourites below..

"Watch false lashes become a thing of the past.." - Does Rimmel's latest Mascara live up to it's promises??

So, the tricky minefield that is Mascara! The market out there is literally flooded with so many types - lengthening, volume, defining, curling, thickening...etc etc. Endless benefits that sadly are often  over-promised and under delivered. Mascara is usually cheap enough so I'll place safe bets that most of us ladies have at least a couple in our make-up bags possibly having been drawn in by a new product's promises or indeed (and I am definitely a culprit here) by it's pretty packaging! So as I browsed the shelves in boots this week I could not help but be drawn to the funky orange packaging of Rimmel Volume Flash Scandal Eyes Mascara. It promises scandalous volume and no clumps.... so in the name of research I popped one into my basket....

The Detail:

Ok so when it comes to mascara the challenge is getting the perfect combination between the wand and the erm gloop (formula??) itself. Rimmel are boasting this is their biggest brush ever and by god its BIG. Apparently the combination of the gloop and brush will give, wait for it, 12 times more volume!! Now Rimmel do mascara - they have 8 different Mascara brands many with 3 or more options within that brand - so one would expect they are good at it. Currently there are two options to choose from: 001 Black and 002 Brown. Disappointingly as of yet there is no waterproof one available in the range. So promises of scandalous volume and no clumps seem somewhat high aims for a very reasonable €8.55 price tag but as Boots had a introductory offer of €3 off I figured for €5.55 it's got to be worth a go! (Rimmel Ireland have agreed an introductory €2.50 discount on RRP with all stockists so you will get varying prices depending on where you shop but Boots is the cheapest I've seen)


The Images:
Ok, quite a few images on this one - excuse the poor excuse of a model!

Firstly the fab packaging that caught my eye -

 
The wonderous wand -

And again but beside a regular mascara wand for comparison -

erm finally some dodgey modeling -

The Sciencey Bit:
Right, well my wee tub of mascara unfortunately has no space on it for ingredients (12x Boo!) However Rimmel do provide a pdf copy of all product ingredients on their website, unfortunately it hasn't been updated to include Scandal Eyes just yet. I have messaged them and will make sure to comment below with any updates. In the meantime I have gleaned some info from their website which  states "This Rimmel revolution has 3x the collagen* for plumper, sculpted lashes, 3x the keratin* for strong and healthy lashes.." Now I am a little dubious as to the presence of the asterices and despite numerous checks and attempts to find the small print they relate to  as of yet I have not.

The Conclusion:

All in all I was actually really pleased with Scandal Eyes.  I'm not convinced about the plumping effect nor the 12 x volume promised but it is definitely a really solid mascara and a good addition to the make-up bag. The brush is absolutely fantastic - it is full enough and big enough to make sure you completely cover each individual lash which definitely helps with definition and length. I have  read that some find it a wee bit tricky at the roots because the size can lead to smudging but I did not find this and am sure after one or two attempts it should be easy enough to eliminate as an issue. I am lucky in that my natural lashes are quite long so any decent mascara will make a notable impact, hence my preference for a softer brown for the daytime look - I think this mascara in black is, for me, more of a night time mascara but would recommend it for day wear for most. I shall be picking up a brown one this week and give this a confident 2 thumbs up...however I won't be hanging up the false lashes just yet!!

Something Fishy about Garra Rufa Pedicures??

Right, anyone who knows me well knows I ADORE fish pedicures. However lately they have been getting an awful lot of bad press with accusations such as spreading hepatitis C and HIV. So now everyone is running away scared... Trying to park my bias  I decided it was only right to investigate a little further and bring you a fair and impartial review..

The Detail:
Ok so the little fishy at the center of all the fuss are called Garra Rufa or more commonly known as Doctor fish. They are a member of the carp family and originated in Turkey. They are pretty small measuring anything from around 3cm with a maximum length of about 14cm. The story goes that in the hot springs in Turkey and the Middle East (their natural habitat) food was scarce and they started "nibbling" on the dead skin on humans who were bathing in the springs. I use inverted commas for the word nibbling because the Garra Rufa are actually toothless and really suck as opposed to nibble (much less scary already - huh?). Most service providers and reports on these fish claim that the dead skin they suck off actually nourishes the little fishy - therefore creating a happy symbiosis. However it is reported also that they do not in reality feed off the dead skin but rather slough it off while foraging for food

The Images:

So here he is... not the prettiest of fish but lets be honest its a foot spa not an aquarium so aesthetics are not hugely relevant.

 

And here they are at work... (if you are of a delicate nature re feet or fish perhaps skip past this one!)

And here is a picture from one of my sessions... the lack of fish is unfortunately something I have found with a number of service providers here in Dublin..

The Sciencey/Welfare Bit:

So these little dudes work their magic in conditions most comparable to their natural habitat - ie warm water and a scarce source of food. The warm water bit is a nightmare as moisture and heat are two things bacteria absolutely thrive on. Therefore all service providers should have strict hygiene standards in place. The risks of infection are twofold - transmission of infection via the fish (through open wounds) and transmission of infection via the water.  

There has also been a number of welfare issues raised in this arena in relation to the fishies themselves.  Obviously they need a stable environment in which to thrive and ultimately survive. Changes in the temperature can prove fatal not to mention the quality of the water. Oxygen levels and exposure to chemicals may also cause seriosus problems for these little guys. The symbiotic nature of the treatment means it works both ways... if the human has open wounds or infections or cosmetics (fake tan, nail polish etc) this can be as detrimental to the fish as the transmission of infection from them to us. 

The Conclusion:

While the procedure is banned in many states in the US, to date, reports and expert opinions in the UK and Ireland have found it to be a relatively low risk treatment for the average individual. Individuals more vulnerable to infection - such as people with diabetes and people undergoing chemotherapy have been advised to avoid this therapy.

I have had MANY a fish pedicure and to date have not had any issues. Having had the pleasure of  studying pool plant management and maintaining various swimming and therapy pools in a previous lifetime I can assure you all I am incredibly cautious before dipping my toes in any volume of water. You will know quite quickly if the service provider appears to be adhering to satisfactory hygiene standards. Look for a venue that is clean,  has policies in place to protect the fish (ie refusal of any clients with tan, nail polish etc and policies to protect you (ie refusal of any clients with infections/contagious skin conditions). Your feet should be cleaned prior to immersing them into your own individual tank which should have a filtration system in place for the water.

Finally - I hear you ask - are they worth all the hassle? In my opinion absolutely. As a die hard stiletto wearer and an aspiring ballerina in my formative years I have always suffered from rough, dry skin on my feet. I find regular sessions really make a dramatic impact. It is incredibly relaxing and barely noticeable in terms of sensation. The only pet peeve of mine is when a newbie is in the tank next to you and they insist on squealing for their entire session (for no apparent reason other than the squirm factor of having fish on their feet?!) - kind of killing my intended zen experience. 

P.S. For best results do not book a session on or after peak hours unless the salon has plenty of tanks which they rotate. Otherwise you will be like my feet above and left lonely in the water while happily fed fish swim by ignoring them!!

Teeth Whitening Toothpastes...Do they Really Work??

So after a couple of blog topic requests it became apparent that I am not the only one out there obsessed with dental care, particularly when it comes to the seemingly endless endeavors in achieving the perfect pearly whites!  While normally I consider myself to be quite savvy and immune to clever marketers claims but when it comes to toothpaste I just can't resist and more often than not succumb to new wonderpastes that claim to do the virtually impossible!  Guests Chez-Suzi are often bemused by my selection of toothpastes from which to choose - herby pastes, minty fresh pastes, extra foaming gels, whitening pastes - the list is endless! My latest addition I hear you ask?? Well of course, the recent entrant on supermarket shelves - Colgate Max White One.

The Detail:

Quite simple this one really - Colgate have a specialist range called Max White which has been about for a couple of years now. This summer they launched its latest addition - Max White One with a tag line "One shade lighter in one week". This bold claim combined with fancy terms like "accelerator micro-crystals" and "sensational mint" made me squeal with delight as off I went in hunt of this, finally the toothpaste to remove the evidence of my guilty pleasures (copious amounts of black coffee and red wine that is). At €5+ per 75mls I was a little taken aback to say the least and sense reining supreme I left it on the shelf...that is until I found it half price last month during a trip across the boarder. Only deeeelighted with myself I brought it home - removed all other pastes from the cluttered sink rack and placed, with much satisfaction, my max white one alongside my electric toothbrush (yes, Oral B sucked me in a long time ago!)

The Images:

I won't lie - the funky silver packaging is a definite plus - it looks uber cool (if indeed toothpaste can lay claim to such properties) on my sink...

Here's some on my toothbrush!! (Oral-B just had to get a look in!)...

And because I thought it was still difficult to really see the product I put some on the back of my hand (there are tiny blue "crystals" in the gel)...

The Sciencey Bit:
Right - so Colgate attribute all of the credit to their "accelerator micro-crystals" to you and me the dark little blue dots in the lighter blue gel. Basically these crystals contain hydrated silica which is an abrasive used for removing stains and preventing plaque build up. In larger forms this is also used in tooth bleaching. Apparently these crystals are formulated to stay intact in the tube but dissolve instantly on contact with teeth releasing the whitening silica.

The Conclusion:
While it remains a little unclear as to whether this is in fact a whitening/bleaching toothpaste or simply just a stain removing abrasive it leaves your mouth feeling super clean. After a few days I was a little disappointed to see no drastic changes but liked the paste so continued to use it despite this. However, soon after I started noticing a gradual brightening and loss of yellow discolouration. After about 10 days there was a notable change in shade and I seem to be maintaining this for the past four days as I've continued to use it. While its directions say to brush for 2 minutes 3 times a day in reality I probably only managed 2 brushes most days. I'm actually really happy with the results and will definitely continue to use it but at €5 per tube probably not everyday. Now that I've gotten the whiter teeth I set out for I'm hoping occasional use will help maintain these...time will tell!

Molton Brown Dupes at ALDI!!

As a keen Molton Brownie you can only imagine my excitement as I tripped down to the local Aldi to discover if indeed it was true and they have launched a range of shower gels and hand wash dupes via their inhouse Abbott & Broome brand. They have and OMG they are amazing!!

The Detail:
The range includes 3 luxurious liquid handwashes priced at €1.49 each compared to a hefty €17.50 for the MB equivalent and a further 3 luxurious bath and shower gels priced at €1.99 compared to €20 for the MB equivalent. Having to restrain myself from snapping the entire box up (at least until they'd received my stamp of approval) I very carefully (and maturely I might add!) selected one hand wash and one shower gel. The packaging is a ringer for their muse not to mention the scents! I selected the "Carageen Irish Moss" handwash for direct comparison to my MB mini equivalent called "energising seamoss" and the "Devine Gingerlilly" which I assumed, hoped and prayed with much anticipation was a suitable equivalent to MB's "Heavenly Gingerlilly" - the scent that started off my love affair with the MB range many years ago!

The Images:
So below is the Abbott & Broome ones:

And here is the Abbott & Broome Handwash (Carrageen Irish Moss), An empty MB Handwash (for comparison) and the MB equivalent of this scent in a mini (Energising Seamoss)

The Sciencey Bit:

So ok - the look almost identical, they smell identical and they foam and cleanse as good as the MB range - surely there must be some difference given the ginormous price differential?? In truth not really. I spent quite a bit of time (sad individual that I am) analyzing the ingredients in the two brands moss scent. Both have SLS in them and both have Cocamide DEA. The Aldi range does also have MIT which the Molton Brown one does not. However likewise the Molton Brown one has a couple of parabens which the Aldi one apears to be free of! The Aldi one uses two colours where as the MB one uses just one. The MB one has horse chesnut seed extract as well as fucus vesiculosus (seaweed to you and I) while Aldi just uses the latter. I must admit I was somewhat shocked at the level of sulphates and other not so luxurious ingredients in my Molton Brown - I had always just assumed that the pricetag it carried meant it was full of healthy and natural ingredients!

The Conclusion:

Abbott & Broome get my vote and I will most definitly be ending my MB love affair. Granted A&B have copied my favourite scent so it's not a toughie for me. Perhaps an extension of range into hand and body lotions as well as a few more scents may make it an even easier decision but at a saving of  €18 a bottle I can now use my favourite shower gel every day thanks to the clever people at Aldi!