Secret Beauty Blog -

”This Christmas step out from the shadows and into the limelight with a little help from VIE at home.
Introducing the new colour collection – BEDAZZLED. Feel magical this holiday season with
bewitching shades, sparkles and illuminating tones.”

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the cute nail polishes and lip gloss pencils, and having not tried anything from the brands makeup collection I was pleasantly surprised. I snob in me was expecting Avon-esque (sorry Avon!) quality, you know… Fancy packaging and glossy images but in reality a bit poo =0/ but I haven’t stopped wearing the bronze lip gloss pencil and am currently sporting the red glitter polish on my toes.
Here’s the cute nail polishes, as a collection of 4 these make a lovely stocking filler and at just £12 that’s only £3 per polish. The colours are all wearable and perfect for the Christmas season, I LOVE the red glitter and dark blue! The silver is slightly sheer and definately a 3 coater, and I can see the duochrome being very popular.

All swatches are just 2 coats, no basecoat or top coat I was applying pureply to be taken straight back off but I found the application …

I really like deep, autumnal shades of purple and I think the matte topcoat gives it a modern twist.

I find ELF polishes apply perfectly, I like the chunky lid and long brush. For £1.50 you really can’t compain, they knock socks off other cheap polishes (ahem, Collection 2000 Hot Colours!) and the new autumn shades are really quite lovely.
The Matte Finisher lasted a good 4 days before the tipwear was really noticable, this pic was taken on day 2 and you can already see some slight tips coming through. It didn’t chip or flake like I’ve heard other matte topcoats/polishes do but this is the only matte topcoat I’ve ever used so I can’t compare. The matte finish got slightly shinier as the days wore on, but this can’t be helped.
Overall – very impressed. I can’t wait to experiment the topcoat with my other polishes!
£1.50 from ELF

I LOVE ELF nail polish! Such fantastic quality for just £1.50, and there’s always some sort of offer floating around (join their Facebook page for updates) making everything even better value. I saw the new Autumn Collection polishes on Kim’s blog and placed an order straight away, they look gorgeous!

L-R Cranberry – Purple Pleaser – Red Velvet – Rosy Raisin
This color-lock formula with chip resistant shield gives long lasting nail color with high shine. The aerodynamic bristle design glides color on flawlessly, while the quick dry formula gives perfect application every time. Key nutrients give nails that natural shine, infused with Vitamin E for stronger, healthier nails.
Our formula is FREE of: Toluene, Formaldehyde, and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).
I also picked up the new matte topcoat

Can’t wait to try them all, if theres a colour you would like to see first please let me know by leaving a little comment!
All polishes are £1.50 from ELF

The PERFECT neon barbie pink. Fabulous application as usual, long wearing as usual….. Perfection as usual! I have to say, Illamasqua polishes are the BEST I have ever used. I like the thin but opaque formula, the thin narrow brush and the chunky handle. The wear is like no other brand, a full 7 days and then some. The only thing I don’t like is the price tag, at £13 they’re not cheap but they ARE worth it IMO.

2 coats with Sally Hansen Maximum Shine topcoat
Isn’t it gorgeous!
£13 Illamasqua.com

Illamasqua Muse… Geddit?
Bought in the 50% off Illamasqua sale, usual R.R.P £13.00 (I wouldn’t pay that btw) but the formula is FABULOUS. Not too thin, not too thick, nice slim brush and a nice chunky square handle. Very unique colour, but looks very much like the new MAC Alice & Olivia ‘Morning After’?
I have a few of these now, and they really are the best quality polishes I have ever used. But I still think £13 is a bit too steep =0/

Of course my camera failed to pick up the true murky green/blue colour but it really is a lovely polish. This picture is a 5 day old mani, so you can see a bit of tip wear etc. But I think I can get away with at least another 2 days!

 China Glaze *Red Pearl*

I actually got this in error, I ordered Rio but got sent this instead! Kinda glad as I didn’t realise Rio is quite a sheer shade and best used in a french mani. Anyway, this is my first China Glaze polish and I’m in love! This is my 3rd day wearing it and theres been no chipping at all, they still look freshly painted!

This came with my love-makeup order, and was a bargain at £4.99…

I’m on eBay as I type buying more, woop!