a-england The Gothic Beauties Collection Swatches & Review (& a Dupe!)

The a-england Gothic Beauties Collection consists of 5 colours: 4 shimmer and 1 metallic. They are three free and cruelty free and retail for £9 on the  a-england website.

I ordered mine from an online shop based here in Singapore (however they deliver worldwide except Italy) called Mei Mei Signatures. They have over 40 brands including the more famous brands like OPI, Orly, China Glaze, A-England, Nubar etc. And many indie brands that are difficult to get a hold of like GlitterDaze, Rainbow Polish, Girly Bits, XOXO Nails, Sea Lore and more!

A-England sells for S$16 for 11mL (Which is $2 cheaper than if you were to buy it from the a-england website)

You can check our their Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Pinterest and instagram @meimeisignatures

 L-R: Dorian Gray, Jane Eyre, Ophelia and Tess D'Urbervilles

Dorian Gray is a pewter grey with golden shimmer. I applied two thin coats, one thick coat would suffice for full opacity. Very easy removal.

Dupe Alert!! Essence Colour & Go Polish in Luxury Secret retails for S$2.80, check out my blog post here.

Ophelia has a black base with purple shimmer (it has both pink toned and blue toned purple shimmer). Applied two thin coats, again one thick coat would do. The glitter doesn't really show up on the nail unless it is under certain lights, making it really hard to photograph!

Tess D'Urbervilles has a black base with emerald shimmer. I'm wearing this now, and it is the most dimensional of the 3 shimmers that I got. The shimmer is much more noticeable in person than the others. Applied two thin coats.

Jane Eyre has a black base with crimson/ brown red shimmer. Applied two thin coats, easily removed.

The only colour that I couldn't get was The Lady of Shalott since it was out of stock, it is actually really pretty with a black base and blue shimmer, but what can ya do!

Now, I wouldn't be lying if I was to say I brought this collection purely because of the names. However, they aren't as stunning on the nails as they are in the bottles. Saying that... I love wearing black nail polish so even though it does just look like black under certain lights, I know that it isn't and it adds something secretive :P

Would I say these are must haves? No
Are they a nice addition to my collection? Yes

*Have you ever brought anything based on its name?*

Thanks for stopping by!

Becky (:

OPI Skyfall Collection: Live and Let Die

 *Flash*

* Natural Light*

Live and Let Die,  burn the candles at both ends in this private jet black.

Live and Let Die is a dark almost-black forest green with gold flecks. When I first saw the collection, I knew that I would definitely be getting this, and I would definitely say that it is the must have from the collection!

It was fully opaque in one coat. I applied two just because I always do, but I could have gotten away with just one. It dried fast and when removed, didn't leave any gold flecks on the finger or nail. The gold flecks don't texture the polish, it is smooth on the nail.

One reason this polish caught my eye was because it reminded me of the crackle from the Spiderman Collection, Shatter the Scales. Which is a beautiful blackened teal with teal and silver flecks. You obviously can't wear a crackle as a normal polish so Live and Let Die is a nice substitute for that. I can definitely see this being used a lot in the upcoming months!

Purchased from nailsg.com for S$12.50

*Have you guys seen the movie yet? I'm watching sometime next week, so excited!*

Thanks for stopping by, 

Becky (:

OPI Skyfall Collection: Tomorrow Never Dies

Tomorrow Never Dies, this eternally intense purple will live forever.

I have been drooling over OPI Ink for so long now, but I never seen to pick it up. This polish is like the baby of OPI Ink, OPI Into the Night and OPI Grape...Set...Match.

It's a rich purple, and it is so hard to photograph! It is much more purple in real life than in my photos but trust me it's stunning!

I applied two medium thickness coats, it applied smoothly due to the shimmer not glitter. It was easy to remove. I applied one coat when I first got it and it peeled off after less than two hours, so I would definitely recommend a topcoat.

Purchased from nailsg for S$12.50

Thanks for stopping by!

Becky 

Review: Pure. Eraser Mineral Healthy Eraser Foundation by Maybelline

 I've been using Revlon Colour stay Foundation for over a year now and at first I loved it, however I've been recently wanting to try out some different foundations, ones that weren't as thick and full coverage. I decided to try out Maybelline Pure. Eraser Mineral Healthy Eraser Foundation with micro minerals (SPF 27 and PA +++)

Overview of Product:

The Maybelline Pure. Eraser Mineral Healthy Eraser Foundation is a permanent product and is available in 6 shades. The shades are categorised into 3 skin tones:

- OC : Ochre tones > for yellow based skin tones

- PO : pink tones > for rosy, pinkish skin tones

- BO : beige tones > medium/darker skin tones

I purchased mine in OC1

The packaging is a sturdy plastic, which stands upright on flat surfaces. The cap is good quality plastic and clips in so you don't have to worry about it coming off and creating a mess.

You get 20mL of product for S$27.90. It is available at Watsons, Guardian, Sasa, major super and hypermarkets and selected departmental stores here in Singapore.

The product claims to have:

• Buildable coverage, micro-corrector applicator allows for building thin layers of coverage over fine lines, pore and dark spots without masking the face.
• Velvety finish, mineral-based oil absorber guarantees a natural, velvet smooth look all day
• Moisturising feel, infused with emollients to help deliver a silky softness.

Also since the product is part of the mineral line, the product should be lightweight and not clog pores.

First Impressions/ Application

 To dispense the product for the first time, it says to twist it 10-20 times, I twisted it about 25 times and it was enough to cover just over half of my face.

WARNING: BARE FACE!

 No foundation at all - pimple scars, vein/discoloured lids, oily etc.

 After one layer of foundation - covered discolouration and veins on my lids, definitely reduced oil, reduced redness

Application

I dotted the foundation on my face with the applicator, then used my fingers to blend it into my skin. It just seemed easiest this way since the product was quite thin in texture. First impressions:

• Lightweight, doesn't feel like a mask
• Easy to apply and blend out
• Light foundation scent that doesn't transfer to face
• Absorbed oil quickly
• Flaked a bit around my nose area (see picture below) since I have a little dry skin there.

My skin felt very soft after applying, and I didn't feel the need to use a powder over the top.

Wear

I checked my foundation after 6 hours of wear, and it didn't look any different except around where my glasses sit on my nose, the product kind of wore off, but every foundation I have tried has done that since it's so hot in Singapore!

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• I like that the product can stand upright by itself
• You can remove the sponge and clean it (There is a promotion to get a free sponge right now, while stocks last). So if you were concerned about the hygiene aspect, you don't have to!
• The dial dispenser stops the product from leaking if you are storing it on its side, so it won't become messy (unlike Revlon colour stay which is super messy :S)
• Good for oily skin
• Good for all types of skin tones, more range probably for the lighter coloured people of each specific skin tone
• SPF 27 is great, it also doesn't have a terrible white cast in photos like some products containing SPF do (however, since I am pretty white anyway, darker skin tones may experience this problem)
• Decent coverage, but still feels lightweight and breathable.

Cons:

• If you have very severe acne or acne scars, wouldn't be enough coverage alone (you would most likely need a concealer too)
• Since the product is pretty thin, I felt I needed more product so only getting 20mL, it may run out faster than a thicker foundation.
• Not a great range for deeper skin colours
• The idea to use the sponge to apply the foundation didn't really work. I tried it but since there was still product on the sponge, it just applied more product instead of blending what was already there.
• Not great for dry patches.
• The shade name is not on the bottle, only the box

Summary

Great for reducing oil and discolouration. Very lightweight. I would recommend for oily skin, not dry skin. Great packaging, easy to remove and replace sponge. Easy to find colour match (find your skin tone, then find what shade you need within that shade!)

Thanks for reading, I hope this review helped you.

*Let me know if you have tried this product and what you thought of it!*

Becky

Mail Monday: I won a giveaway!

I haven't done a blogpost for about a week!  I did however start and post some things on my second blog which is sort of like a random blog where I'm going to be posting my photos, cooking stuff and other random things! If you want to check it out then click here.

I received my prize from wickermoss, so check out her blog, twitter, facebook or youtube!

Thank you so much, I'm very grateful for this lovely prize and I'm excited about trying everything out!

LUSH Friends with Benefits Massage Bar (My first ever LUSH product, so exciting!!)

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Lotion

 L'oreal OpenEyesPro Quad in 01 Grey Harmony

 NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink

Horoscope Makeup Series: Libra (September 24th - October 23rd)

Libra Stats

(source)

The Scales

Element: Air

Ruled by: Venus

Lucky Colour/s: Blue and pink

Lucky Stone: Opal

Lucky Day: Friday

Lucky Number: 6