SensatioNail Polish to Gel Transformer (with Essie Ballet Slippers)

I love the gel SensatioNail and have used it for some time. I used to spend some time on a Sunday afternoon whilst the hubby was watching the rugby doing my nails. However, since having a baby doing my nails has been the last thing on my mind and quite frankly I do not have the time to do it. 

So, when I was sent this I was very very excited and hoped that  could paint my nails in a short space of time and it would be long lasting. My hands take a lot of beating during the day and are always dry and sore so my hands are not in the best condition. 

There are several ways you can apply the product, you can either mix it with the nail transformer in the little pot provided or you can pain the polish directly on to your nails and then add the transformer on top and then use the UV light to finish off. 

I mixed the nail polish of choice, Essie Ballet Slippers, my fav in the little pot and then add the transformer. It did take half of the time then the usual gel application which was great and the application looked brilliant - I was concerned that it may have caused streaking but it didn't. 

SenatioNail have really listened to their customers and responded to their needs as many of us have many nail polishes that we perhaps don't use because they chip after a few hours or just simply don't stand the test of time. This genius product is there to enable you to be able to use those polishes and the colour stays smudge proof for up to 10 days. 

So, I have had this polish on for 7 days and so far no chipping or splitting which is amazing for the amount of times I wash my hands and the wear and tear they experience on a daily basis.

My only criticism is, and I am not sure whether I had a faulty UV light is that the light burnt my fingers even when I put my hand flat on the plate it still was far too hot for my fingers so was painful which was disappointing. However, I will continue to use this product but I will be using my gel UV light as I don't want to burn my fingers.

This is one product, I would highly recommend for busy mums and one to ask for your birthday or for Christmas. This product is available here and at £49.99 is a bargain.

My life as a military wife.........................

I get asked almost on a daily basis, what it is really like to be married to someone who is in the military. I also get a lot of comments saying that they could never be married to someone in the military or cope with their partner being away from home.

Well, being married to someone in the military means there are three people in our marriage, my husband, me and the military and sometimes the military does get in the way. I am grateful on one hand for the military as it has allowed me to be a stay at home mother, but it can be an incredibly lonely existence. Not all military wives are nice and friendly and it can be very difficult to make new friends when you move camps, although people say they are friendly and warm - in practical terms this is not my experience. I have gone to mum and baby groups and have been completely ignored including people turning their backs on me and being very rude.

I also find it really difficult living on camp, I have lived out in civilian world for most of my marriage and when you move onto camp, everyone is around the same age, everyone has children it is nothing like the real world - I miss seeing older people and people that have nothing to do with the military world.

I do live in fear of my husband being sent away, its not that I fear something would happen to him, as lets face it civilians are now at significant risk of terrorist attacks, it is more the crippling loneliness that I find the most stressful.

Being married to the military is not so bad, the worst thing is living on camp and not really dealing with the "outside world". xx

Urban Decay Naked Flushed - Native

It is that time of year where you are planning your holidays or have lots of weddings or events coming up. Everyone seems to go in panic mode with getting outfits ready and ensuring you are looking preened and ready. 

Also, if you do not usually wear too much make-up other than the special occasions I have been looking at products that can be versatile. This product from Urban Decay is perfect for this need, especially if you are going on holiday and you don't want to wear too much make-up but want to have something for the evenings. 

I also use this as a very basic eyeshadow and it looks beautiful and simplicity of the colour combination I love. 

If you are a bit scared of bronzer and do not use it at all, don't panic as this is an ideal starter bronzer and on some days I just use it to give my face some definition by simply sweeping a three shape starting on my forehead and ending on my jaw line. The highlighter is not sparkly but adds a hint of shine without the oily / greasy look. 

This palette to me is ideal for you who do not use a lot of make-up as you can add a subtle look or if you are feeling brave build the products up. 

Urban Decay are a brand that you can rely on to make beautiful make-up products and this product is suitable for any skin tones. You can get this product in four different shades so there will be one suitable for you. In addition, the palette comes with a large mirror so that is one less thing you need to remember to pack or if you want to do touch ups whilst out and about it makes your life a little bit easier. Check this product out here.

Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow (bronze)

One of my bug bears is that I have very oily eyelids as you may know and I have yet to find a eye shadow that I can wear without a primer to ensure it all stays in place for the full day. I have tried pretty much everything but open to advice from you if you think you know a product that would meet my needs. 

So, I tried this beautiful cream shadow for the day to see whether it would crease on me  yes, I braved it and did not put on any primer. I did my full face at 8.45am and it looked beautiful, but unfortunately creasing started to happen at 11.00am and by 15.00pm no product was left on the lid which was rather disappointing. However, the next day I tried this product with a primer and it lasted all day with no creasing or transfer so lesson learnt - I need to continue to wear primer that is it. 

These shadows from Max Factor are one of my favourites the colour pay off is amazing and you can use it for a discreet look during the day or layer on for a more dramatic look for the evening. In addition, I use this as a base for other shadows too.. There are six colours available and available here.

Cosmetic Fairy Haul

There is an amazing website which I am warning you, you will end up spending money on. Cosmetic Fairy really value their customers and try and keep their prices down and understand that women love keeping their make-up bags stocked up with amazing products, but recognise this should not cost women the earth - lets face it with the current climate money can be tight. 

Cosmetic Fairy hunt down the best brands for the best price and ensure that this is passed onto their customers - which company do you know that does this and value their customers. You can get anything from lipsticks to nail polishes its a brilliant website even if you are not on a budget. In addition, Cosmetic Fairy encourage you to earn reward points as you shop which can be redeemed on future purchases. 

The team at Cosmetic Fairy have a long history in the beauty industry and live and breath make-up and skin care which means that you are in safe hands. 

What I love the most is Cosmetic Fairy really value their customer feedback and continually look for new ways to improve the online shopping experience. 

Cosmetic Fairy promise the provide genuine products at genuine prices and all products are unused. My recommendation is for you to have a look at the website and I guarantee that you will end up purchasing products as they are at such a reasonable price and they are shipped out so quickly its just such a great service. Check out Cosmetic Fairy website here.

Stila All You Need Is Love Cheek Palette

This is my favourite blush of all time- yes, I know bold statement, but it is a classic. Stila do some of the best blushes in the business. 

What I love is you can either choose one shade or mix the four together. The colour may look scary, but don't be afraid as the colour can be as subtle or dramatic as you want it to be. The colour is flattering and gives you a "flushed" look but not hot and bothered so don't panic. 

My advice is check out www.stila.com website as if you don't like the look of this colour there will be a colour that you will fall in love with! 

L'Oreal Lip Liner Couture - 630 Cafe de Flore

I have been looking for products that have multi-purpose and surprising I have not only just used this lip liner to of course line my lips but I have been using the product as a lip colour, together with a small amount of lip balm. 

The colour is beautiful and perfect for all skin types and for all seasons. The lip liner is soft easy to apply as I find some lip liners very drying and you end up tugging along the lip line. I also at times find lip liners drying on my lips which can be very off putting. L'Oreal really know there products and formulas and this is one product that is on my favourite list. Check out the other lip liners here.